Tesda mulls platform to link employers with workers

MANILA, Philippines — The Technical Education and Skills Authority (TESDA) is set to establish a web-based platform that will connect skilled technical-vocational workers to those who need their services.

TESDA director general Secretary Isidro Lapeña said the online and mobile platform will allow persons to acquire the services of blue-collar workers through a 911 TESDA app.

“(911 TESDA app) will be very efficient,” Lapeña said at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay breakfast forum at Cafe Adriatico in Malate, Manila yesterday.

TESDA is working with nine service providers to launch the 911 TESDA mobile online platform in July or August, the agency said.

The project, Lapeña said, is one of the programs by TESDA as it promotes Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

He added that TVET is being used as a strategy by the government in its war against insurgency by encouraging members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’sArmy to lay down their arms and go to work instead.

“The insurgency problem (of the country), its root cause is poverty,” Lapeña said.

Based on TESDA data from January to May 29 this year, the agency has served 1,290 former communist rebels and 3,718 former drug pushers and users, who graduated from skills training courses.

“By including them in our free training programs, we want to make them feel that they will never be abandoned, that the government is sincere in helping them,” Lapeña said.