A more accessible training-to-jobs program is what the 3rd Visayas Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Conference is pressing for, drawing more than 200 technical-vocational leaders and stakeholders from across the Visayas.
Held on April 23-24, 2026, at the Summit Galleria Hotel in Cebu City, the conference also highlighted the need to build resilient and industry-responsive skills ecosystems in the region.
Organized by the Visayas TVET Association (VisTVET) in collaboration with the Unified TVET of the Philippines and supported by the Private Education Assistance Committee, the two-day conference gathered representatives from technical-vocational institutions (TVIs) across Regions VI, VII, VIII, and the Negros Island Region.
Carrying the theme ‘Building Resilient Skills Ecosystems in the Visayas Regions through Quality and Industry-Responsive TVET,’ the event served as a platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and collaboration aimed at strengthening the quality and relevance of technical-vocational education in a rapidly evolving workforce.
Officials from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority underscored the critical role of TVIs as frontliners in delivering skills training at the community level.
TESDA Deputy Director General for Administration and Innovation Galo B. Gliño III emphasized that resilience in TVET goes beyond recovery, noting that institutions must remain adaptive and forward-looking amid digital transformation, automation, and emerging industry demands.
Gliño said that TVIs are TESDA’s frontliners, recognizing them as key partners in expanding access to skills training.
Delivering a message on behalf of TESDA Secretary Jose Francisco Benitez, Gliño also assured participants of stronger government support, particularly in the expansion of scholarship programs to make training more accessible to Filipinos.
He noted that TESDA’s 2026 budget is at a record high, with priority scholarship allocations set for sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, electronics, creative industries, and artificial intelligence-areas aligned with national development goals and industry needs.
‘Ang TESDA po is we are building and transforming TESDA courses to become very viable pathways towards employment, towards social mobility, and towards higher income,’ he said, reiterating the agency’s push for ‘training to trabaho.’
Meanwhile, TESDA Deputy Director General Rosanna Urdaneta highlighted that the agency’s direction remains anchored in ensuring that training leads directly to employment opportunities, reinforcing the importance of industry partnerships and work-based learning.
Discussions during the conference focused on policy updates, strategies to boost employability, innovations in partnerships and resource mobilization, as well as benchmarking practices among TVIs.
Participants also underscored that the annual gathering is not merely a conference but a collaborative platform for innovation and action, aimed at ensuring that technical-vocational education remains relevant, responsive, and beneficial to Filipino learners and workers.
TESDA officials expressed gratitude to partner institutions for their continued commitment despite challenges, emphasizing that sustained collaboration between the government and training providers is essential in advancing inclusive and future-ready skills development in the Visayas.