Cayetano urges TESDA: Educate Filipinos on value of technical vocation

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday urged the leaders of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to help communicate to the public the value of TESDA certification and how, like a college degree, it can help them succeed in life.

"The greatest hindrance of technical vocation in the Philippines is may pagka-matapobre pa rin tayo kapag walang diploma," the independent senator said during the hearing on TESDA's proposed 2024 budget on Wednesday, September 13, 2023.

"Even if may diploma ka, we tend to look at the name of the school and the country where we graduated," he added.

Cayetano said the problem lies in the lingering mentality among Filipinos that TESDA mostly caters to college drop-outs and out-of-school youth.

"If we do not fight the mentality or stigma, ano ang lumalabas? Tatanungin ang bata, 'Anong gusto mo maging?' [The child will answer] 'E 'di mag college.' [But then the child will be told] 'Eh paano kung magdrop-out ka na, mag-TESDA ka na lang!'" he said.

'Hindi dapat ganon," he added, urging TESDA to help educate Filipinos about the value of technical education.

"Baka your job is not only educating those who want to have skills but educating all Filipinos that we are human beings and the diplomas are just certifications of what we can do. We can actually be non-schooled," he said.

To elaborate his point, Cayetano cited prominent people such as the late Senator Blas Ople, the late Apple founder Steve Jobs, and Microsoft founder Bill Gates who were successful in life despite dropping out of college.

He also gave Germany as an example of a country where students can work in big companies while they are still in high school.

"Sa Germany, kahit high school [student] ay nasa accounting department na ng malaking kumpanya at nag-apprentice sa banks. No one will doubt the quality of the banking and the car industry in Germany," he said.

Cayetano said this change in belief and mentality should be inculcated in everyone, particularly students who may aspire for non-traditional career tracks.

"Dapat from elementary to high school pa lang, kapag sinabi ng mga bata 'Gusto ko maging magaling sa automotive,' [someone will ask] 'Saan mo gusto?' [and the child will reply] 'Gusto ko sa TESDA!" he said.

Wrapping up his manifestation, Cayetano expressed his "support to the TESDA family" as it works to improve the quality of technical education in the country as well as the mindset of the people about TESDA diplomas.

Cayetano sa TESDA: Turuan ang Pilipino sa kahalagahan ng technical vocation

Hinimok ni Senador Alan Peter Cayetano nitong Miyerkules ang mga pinuno ng Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) na tulungan ang publiko na maging maalam sa kahalagahan ng TESDA certification at, tulad ng isang college degree, paano ito makakatulong sa kanilang magtagumpay sa buhay.

"The greatest hindrance of technical vocation in the Philippines is may pagka-matapobre pa rin tayo kapag walang diploma," wika ng independent senator sa pagdinig ng 2024 proposed budget ng TESDA nitong Miyerkules, September 13, 2023.

"Even if may diploma ka, we tend to look at the name of the school and the country where we graduated," dagdag niya.

Ayon kay Cayetano, ang problema ay bunga ng matagal nang pag-iisip ng mga Pilipino na ang TESDA ay kadalasang nagtuturo sa mga college drop-out at out-of-school youth.

"If we do not fight the mentality or stigma, ano ang lumalabas? Tatanungin ang bata, 'Anong gusto mo maging?' [Sasagot ang bata] 'E 'di mag college.' [Pero sasabihan naman siya] 'Eh paano kung magdrop-out ka na, mag-TESDA ka na lang!'" sabi niya.

'Hindi dapat ganon," dagdag niya, habang hinihimok ang TESDA na turuan ang mga Pilipino sa kahalagahan ng technical education sa bansa.

"Baka your job is not only educating those who want to have skills but educating all Filipinos that we are human beings and the diplomas are just certifications of what we can do. We can actually be non-schooled," aniya.

Upang ipaliwanag ang kanyang punto, binanggit ni Cayetano ang mga kilalang tao tulad ng yumaong Senador Blas Ople, ang yumaong founder ng Apple na si Steve Jobs, at ang founder ng Microsoft na si Bill Gates na naging matagumpay sa buhay sa kabila ng kawalan ng college degree.

Ibinigay din niya ang Germany bilang halimbawa ng isang bansa kung saan ang mga estudyante ay maaaring magtrabaho sa malalaking kumpanya habang sila ay nasa high school pa.

"Sa Germany, kahit high school [student] ay nasa accounting department na ng malaking kumpanya at nag-apprentice sa banks. No one will doubt the quality of the banking and the car industry in Germany," wika niya.

Sinabi ni Cayetano na ang pagbabagong ito sa paniniwala at kaisipan ay dapat na itanim sa lahat, partikular sa kabataan na maaaring maghangad ng hindi tradisyunal na karera.

"Dapat from elementary to high school pa lang, kapag sinabi ng mga bata 'Gusto ko maging magaling sa automotive,' [tatanungin siya] 'Saan mo gusto?' [at sasagot naman ang bata] 'Gusto ko sa TESDA!" sabi ng senador.

Sa pagtatapos ng kanyang manifestation, ipinahayag ni Cayetano ang kanyang "suporta sa TESDA family" habang ito ay kumikilos upang mapabuti ang kalidad ng technical education sa bansa, pati na ang ang pag-iisip ng mga tao tungkol sa mga diploma ng TESDA.