By Michelle Ducut
A total of 24,967 individuals in the Ilocos Region have graduated from technical and vocational courses as of December 16, 2024, through scholarships provided by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
During the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum on Tuesday, TESDA La Union Acting Director Crescencia Boac revealed that the region was allocated PHP1.02 billion this year for 48,327 scholarship slots, of which 38,574 slots were availed of. Pangasinan recorded the highest number of enrollees with 20,151, of which 13,850 have already graduated. Ilocos Norte had 9,704 enrollees with 5,071 graduates, followed by La Union with 5,123 enrollees and 3,542 graduates, and Ilocos Sur with 3,596 enrollees and 2,494 graduates.
The most common courses taken by scholars in the region include agriculture, information and communications technology, electrical and electronics, and construction, addressing industry needs and aiming for productive employment, according to Boac.
TESDA’s scholarship programs include the Private Education Student Financial Assistance (PESFA), the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA), the Tulong Trabaho Scholarship Program (TTSP), the Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP), and the Special Training for Employment Program (STEP). These programs are designed to provide financial aid, promote free tuition in technical-vocational institutions, and enhance the workforce with skills training tailored to industry demands.
For 2025, TESDA has allocated PHP70.4 million for TWSP, PHP9.8 million for PESFA, and PHP6.4 million for TTSP in the Ilocos Region, with additional funds for other programs pending allocation by the central office.
This year, 82,949 individuals enrolled in TESDA’s training and assessment programs for national certification, with a target to assess 5,121 senior high school students. TESDA has also trained 258 teachers to assist in this initiative, ensuring that qualified senior high school students graduate with national certifications that can boost their employability.
Meanwhile, TESDA has developed four competency standards in response to emerging occupations in the region. These include wind turbine maintenance and services for Ilocos Norte, cacao processing level 2 for Ilocos Sur, cocoon production in Bacnotan, La Union, and plant tissue culture for rare plants in Pangasinan. Boac explained that these competency standards, created in collaboration with industry needs, outline the skills, knowledge, and attitudes required for effective employment.
The developed competencies are set to be institutionalized as courses by TESDA through the Competency Standards and the Competency-Based Curriculum in the coming months, further enhancing the region’s workforce development initiatives.