A total of 1,112 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) including their family members were provided with new skills by the Technical Education and Skills Development-Cordillera Administrative Region (TESDA-CAR), an official said on Friday.
Dante Navarro, regional director of TESDA-CAR, said the skills were provided to recipients under various scholarships of the government as assistance to the sector.
He said for OFWs, the agency helps in the assessment of skills helping them prepare through training for the examination for them to receive national certification.
Navarro said the assessment gives them the qualification needed in their overseas placement jobs.
“They are assessed and issued a national certification so that they will return abroad with the required qualification and document,” he added.
Navarro also said aside from the OFWs, their families are also entitled to receive scholarships from the government.
He said in 2017, there were 47 OFWs or their families who availed of the assessment, 229 in 2018, 394 in 2019, and 346 in 2020.
From January to April this year, there were 96 who were assisted by TESDA.
He said several OFWs who were repatriated to the country when the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic struck also availed of the different skills training to acquire new skills.
“Open ang slots para sa ating mga OFW at mga displaced workers (More slots are open for our displaced overseas workers),” he said.
The sector can avail of any or several trainings to upgrade their knowledge or get a new one. “With additional skills, the possibility of a person being hired and looking for employment is higher,” he added.
Navarro said TESDA has several programs that will fit the needs of the returning overseas Filipinos which can be availed of.
“Mandato natin na alalayan ang mga kababayan lalo na ang mga OFW (it is our mandate to provide assistance to our fellow Filipinos, especially the OFWs),” he said.
Record shows that TESDA-CAR has a budget of PHP185 million for the scholarship program.
The available scholarship includes the Training for work scholarship program (TWSP), Special training for employment program (STEP), Rice extension service program (RESP), Universal access to quality tertiary education act ((UAQTEA), Private education student fund assistance (PESFA). (PNA)
