Solid North Party-list Rep. Ching Bernos is urging the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to fine-tune their process to ensure that more poor and disadvantaged benefit from its programs.
This as a study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies found that the number of poor beneficiaries participating in TESDA training had declined between 2018 and 2022.
“Many see TESDA training as a much-needed leg up for employment, which is exactly why we should exert more effort to ensure that those who could benefit most from such interventions are the ones who receive training,” Bernos said.
Bernos highlighted the need to properly identify target beneficiaries of TESDA’s various technical and vocational education and training programs.
In its “Assessing the Effectiveness of TESDA Scholarship Programs in Targeting the Poor” study, PIDS noted that the 2022 regional distribution of scholarship budgets does not necessarily align with regions with high poverty incidence, where most disadvantaged scholars are located.
Bernos highlighted the need to properly identify target beneficiaries of TESDA’s various technical and vocational education and training programs.
“These are trainings that could give out-of-school youth, informal workers, and the unemployed the chance to find jobs amid increasing competition,” the lawmaker said.
Bernos echoed the PIDS’ recommendation that TESDA use poverty databases maintained by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (Listahanan) and the Philippine Identification System to verify applicants’ eligibility and willingness to see the training through.
As these lists have already been vetted, TESDA could use these to countercheck against their own system to ensure proper targeting of beneficiaries, Bernos said.
The solon also called on TESDA to regularly coordinate with industries and local governments to guarantee that its course offerings match labor market needs.
“Lalo na sa panahon ngayon na marami at mabilis ang mga pagbabago dahil sa teknolohiya, mahalagang laging updated ang ating mga course offering para hindi mapag-iwanan ang maging relevant pa rin ang matututunan ng mga trainees.”
