Press Release
October 19, 2021

Villanueva pins importance of training to help displaced workers find jobs in 'new normal'

Senator Joel Villanueva underscored the pivotal role of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in the government's efforts to get millions of unemployed Filipinos back to work after suffering job loss during the pandemic.

Villanueva, chair of the Senate labor committee, said TESDA's proposed P14.5-billion budget for next year was crucial in providing more scholarship grants to people in search of better lives, especially the youth who are entering the Philippine job market every year.

"For the most part of this hearing, we talked about data and numbers, which are really very abstract. But I invite you to look into the positive impact of TESDA on each and every graduate who's able to find a job," said Villanueva. "In the same manner that I invite you to look at the lost opportunities for every Filipino who missed tech-voc training and employment opportunities due to COVID restrictions and underutilization of scholarship funds."

"It bears repeating that TESDA will be the backbone of our economic recovery. You are the 'heart' of the National Employment Recovery Strategy or NERS which needs all the support it can get," continued Villanueva, whose performance as director general of TESDA earned him the moniker TESDAMAN. "I will be the first to help you in the tech-voc sector."

Villanueva pointed out that one of the objectives indicated in the NERS' 8-Point Employment Recovery Agenda is to "promote retooling and upskilling of workers," which includes all the agency's scholarship programs.

Villanueva also cited the seemingly slow pace of filling up nearly 500,000 scholarship slots under the current year budget. The lawmaker sought from TESDA a catch-up plan for the agency to fill up 333,919 scholarship slots as of September 30, 2021, considering that the agency was able to enroll 158,966 scholars in the first nine months of the year, or about 43 percent.

The lawmaker also quizzed TESDA officials on the implementation of the Tulong Trabaho Scholarship Program, which was established under Republic Act No. 11230 or the Tulong Trabaho Act which Villanueva is principal author and sponsor.

The law provides free access to technical-vocational education based on the prevailing demands of the job market, explained Villanueva.

Villanueva reminded TESDA director general Isidro Lapeña about the importance of the agency's budget next year because "this is the budget to get millions of Filipinos back on their feet after suffering job loss during the pandemic."


Villanueva: Libreng TESDA training para sa mga manggagawang nawalan ng trabaho, susi sa pagbangon mula sa pandemya

Muling tinumbok ni Senator Joel Villanueva ang kahalagahan ng pagbibigay ng libreng training ng Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) bilang bahagi ng programa ng gobyerno upang ibalik ang trabaho ng milyun-milyong Pilipinong nawalan ng hanapbuhay bunsod ng pandemya.

Ayon kay Villanueva, na chairman ng Senate labor committee, ang proposed P14.5 billion budget ng TESDA para sa susunod na taon ay makakapagbigay ng scholarship sa iba't ibang training programs, base sa pangangailangan ng new normal job market.

"Sa kabuuan ng pagdinig, pinagusapan at tinalakay po natin ang mga datos at numero, na hindi nadarama ng ating mga kababayan. Tingnan po natin ang kakayanan ng TESDA na magdala ng masayang pagbabago sa bawat graduate na makakahanap ng trabaho dahil sa training," ani Villanueva. "Kaya po nakakalungkot na lang ang sitwasyon ng bawat kababayan nating hindi nakapag-training at nawalan ng pagkakataong makahanap ng trabaho dahil sa COVID restrictions at underutilization ng scholarship funds."

"TESDA po ang magsisilbing backbone ng pag-recover ng ating ekonomiya. Kayo po sa TESDA ang puso ng National Employment Recovery Strategy o NERS na kailangan ng lahat ng suporta ng gobyerno," dagdag pa ni Villanueva, na nanungkulan bilang director general ng TESDA at nabansagang TESDAMAN dahil sa kanyang mga programang nag-angat sa pananaw sa tech-voc education.

Pinaaalala ni Villanueva na isa sa bahagi ng NERS ay ang pag-promote sa retooling at upskilling ng mga manggagawa, at bahagi nito ang iba't ibang mga programa ng ahensiya.

Pinunto rin ng senador ang tila mabagal na pagpuno sa halos 500,000 scholarship slots na bahagi ng TESDA budget ngayong taon. Hiniling rin niya ang malinaw na catch-up plan para punan ang bakanteng 333,919 scholarship slots sa nalalabing tatlong buwan na taon. Ayon sa datos ng TESDA, nakapagpasok sila ng 158,966 na scholars, o 43 percent ng kanilang target, sa pagitan ng Enero hanggang Setyembre ngayong taon.

Tinanong rin ni Villanueva ang pamunuan ng TESDA tungkol sa pagpapatupad ng Tulong Trabaho Scholarship Program, na itinatag sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. 11230 o Tulong Trabaho Act na isinulong ng mambabatas bilang principal author at sponsor.

Nagbibigay ng libreng tech-voc education ang batas batay sa kasalukuyang demand ng job market, paliwanag ni Villanueva.

Pinaalalahanan ni Villanueva si TESDA director general Isidro Lapeña sa kahalagahan ng budget ng ahensiya sa susunod na taon "dahil ito ang budget na mag-aahon sa milyun-milyon nating kababayan na nawalan ng trabaho bunsod ng pandemya."

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