The budget proposal for the upcoming year has set aside P15.2 billion to strengthen skills development and enhance the expertise of the Filipino workforce, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
This allocation, DBM said, is intended to support a range of initiatives offered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
“Access to quality education will also be at the forefront of the government’s education agenda through the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (UAQTE),” Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said.
Pangandaman further specified that a substantial portion of this budget, amounting to P3.4 billion, will be directly allocated to TESDA’s Free Technical-Vocational Education and Training program.
This initiative, a core component of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education program, is set to benefit an estimated 38,179 enrollees and 10,126 graduates.
An additional P200 million has been dedicated to the Private Educational Student Financial Assistance program. This allocation is aimed at providing essential training fees and allowances to 9,708 students and 8,737 graduates.
Aligned with the broader strategy to modernize the Philippine Technical and Vocational Education and Training system, P1.8 billion has been designated for the Supporting Innovation in the Philippine Technical and Vocational Education and Training System (SIPTVETS) program.
Recognized as an effective response to the increasingly globalized, technology-driven, and knowledge-centric market, the SIPTVETS program strives to synchronize the readiness of the Filipino workforce—particularly in the mid-level sector—with international standards of competitiveness.
