IusinessDlirrcr
. Thursday,
Iune f3,2019
![
By JovEE MARrE N. Drr,e, Cnuz
.. t @ioveemarie
A PARTY-LIST lawmaker on
/l Wudn"rd"y .rrged Filipinos,
4 trincluding returning over-
seas Filipino workers (OFWs), to
avail themselves ofthe free training
an4 iob opportunities offered by the
Tethnical Education and Skills Dp-
I veiopmentAuthority (Tesda).
.ACTS-OFWRep. Aniceto Bertiz
II, in
a neia's statement, said Con-
gress has set aside P3.9
billion for
i Filipinos who are rrot bachelort
degree holders, andwho maywish
to acquire newskills under Tesda's
Technical Vocational Education
and Training (TVET) programs.
TVET schooling provides
knowledge and competencies for
immediate employment by com-
bining formal, nonformal and in-
formal learning.
Bertiz said that byavailing them-
selves of the government's tuition-
free TVET programs, Filipinos can
secure higher-paying jobs,Tor even
possibly put up a small business.
"Congress has set aside p3.9
billion this year so that Fllipinos,
including OFWs, who are not col-
lege graduates may freely enroll
in state-run or accredited private
TVE-T schools without having to
pay toranytuition ormiscellaneous
fees," Bertiz said.
"In the Tesda web site, return-
ing OFWs can search for a new
skill that they want to learn, and
also find online the nearest school
thatoffers the desiredprogram for
free," he said.
Mbreover, he said, zero tuition
n
PAq,,s -Ag,/
in TVET schools is part of the Uni-
versal Access to Quality Tertiary
Education Act.
iActually, tuition and other fees
are now free not iust in state uni-
versities and colleges, but also in
government-run TVET institutions
and even Tesda-registered private
schools," Bertiz said.
The lawmaker said "high-value"
TVET programs available for free to
all Filipinos are aircraftmaintenance
and technology; agricultural crops
production; animal health care and
management; animal production;
animation and 3D animation; au-
tomotive servicing; bread and pas-
try production; computer systems
servicing; cookery; dressmaking;
electrical installation and mainte-
nance; electronic products assem-
bly and servicing; refrigeration and
programs
air-conditioning servicing; shielded
metal and gas tungsten arc welding;
and visual graphic design.
"We say high-value because there
is great dernand nowadays-both
here and abroad-for human re-
sources that can look after technical
equipment orperform practicalwork
for people skilled in the technique of
a craft or art," Bertiz said.
.
"TVETprogram completers can
easily sell their skills to prospec-
tive employers, or better yet, use
their proficiencies to establish
small tax-exempt shops underthe
Barangay Micro Business Enter-
prises Law," Bertiz said.
Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas
said technical vocational programs
will bridge the gap between the skills
of the Filipino work force and the
jobs available in the country.