The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) have formalized a partnership to expand free technical-vocational education and training (TVET) for Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries and graduates.
TESDA Secretary Kiko Benitez and DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to equip marginalized families with marketable skills that will help them transition from poverty to sustainable livelihoods.
“Through this MOA, TESDA will offer free skills training, assessment and certification not just for current 4Ps beneficiaries but even those who’ve already exited the program,” Benitez said.
“We are synergizing and converging with DSWD to ensure both training to trabaho and social development as pathways to national development, improvement of human capital, and productivity,” he added.
Under the agreement, TESDA will prioritize qualified 4Ps beneficiaries and exited households for inclusion in its scholarship programs, subject to existing rules and the availability of funds. Beneficiaries will be provided with free skills training, assessment and certification to enhance their employability and open up new livelihood opportunities.
DSWD will identify and endorse qualified participants, promote TESDA’s programs through Family Development Sessions and other platforms, and coordinate with stakeholders to provide complementary livelihood and employment assistance.
For his part, Gatchalian said the agreement will give 4Ps beneficiaries better access to skills and certification.
“This partnership is living proof that we are not just committed to stitching off the culture of mendicancy in our programs, but also to building a culture that empowers our beneficiaries to unlock their fullest potential,” Gatchalian said.
