Benguet caretaker Rep. Eric Go Yap has filed House Bill 6851, which seeks for the establishment of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority centers in the province’s 13 towns.
Yap said the bill, known as “Benguet Province Tesda Training and Assessment Centers Act,” is seen to bring the technical and vocational training skills programs closer to the community.
“Once the centers are established, there will be no need for those enrolled in the program to go extra miles just to attend the training. Instead of spending on rent and transportation, they could use their budget for their other priorities,” he said.
The lawmaker said the establishment of Tesda centers will also bring new skills and sharpen the technical-vocational knowledge of the communities in Atok, Bakun, Bokod, Buguias, Itogon, Kabayan, Kapangan, Kibungan, La Trinidad, Mankayan, Sablan, Tuba, and Tublay.
“Through the programs offered by Tesda, learners will be equipped with basic practical knowledge and technical expertise they can use to be self-reliant, productive, and employable,” he said.
“Here in Benguet, we are inherently community-centered. As much as the establishment of Tesda centers provides for self-improvement, it also promotes community involvement. With their enhanced capacities, individuals also help their communities become more progressive,” he added.
He added the bill is in line with the thrust of Mobile Tulong, a program launched in April, which delivers services and assistance to the people in the 13 municipalities.
Tesda, established through Republic Act 7796 or the “Technical Education and Skills Development Act of 1994,” provides life skills and competencies to its enrollees. – Ofelia C. Empian
