Tesda eyes P3.096-B for 2013, biggest share of DOLE budget

MANILA, Philippines—The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority has gotten the biggest share of Department of Labor and Employment’s budget, but the agency’s head said the amount was even below his proposed amount.

Tesda’s proposed 2013 budget is P3.096 billion, or 38 percent of the DOLE’s P8.083 billion budget.

The Tesda budget is bigger than the budget for the Office of the Labor Secretary, which is P2.853 billion. The allocations for the other labor agencies, including the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, only run into the millions of pesos.

The Tesda chief is Joel Villanueva, a former party list lawmaker and a close ally of the President. Villanueva is also being eyed for the administration party’s senatorial slate in 2013.

Asked at the House of Representatives’ budget hearing why his agency’s budget was higher than those of the other offices, Villanueva said that the P3.096-billion proposal was low compared to the overall budget for education.

Although under the DOLE, Tesda could be considered part of the education sector, Villanueva said.

“Unfortunately, if you look at the education sector, we are 1.7 percent of the entire education budget,” he said.

He further said the 2013 Tesda budget was low considering the national technical education skills development plan approved by the National Economic and Development Authority.

“This is 40 percent less than what we are proposing,” he said.

In President Aquino’s budget message, he said the Tesda budget would be used partly for 57 administered schools and 60 training centers to produce “technically competent, innovative, and creative Filipino workers.”

Part of the allocation would also go to the Private Education Student Financial Assistance program and the Training for Work Scholarship Program.

The Tesda is in charge of overseeing technical and vocational education in the country. It provides training programs for various skills and livelihood projects. It also offers scholarships.