PEOPLE POWWOW: PROFESSIONALIZING TECH VOC

Professionalizing ‘tech-voc’

BY HERBERT VEGO

Thursday, March 16, 2017

ARRIVING from a two-week stay in Sydney, Australia, Regional Director Toni June Tamayo of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) talked to this writer about the importance that the Australian government attributes to technical-vocational education.

“Tech-voc graduates there command respectability,” he said, “because of the expertise they possess after studying in a TAFE institution.”

TAFE stands for Technical and Further Education. It’s an Australian government-run system that provides college-level education after high school in vocational areas. It focuses on specific skills – say, welding or carpentry — for a particular workplace. Entry into this system usually requires students to have finished at least grade 10. 

Incidentally, auto mechanics in Australia now earn the equivalent of P225,000 a month.

Tamayo added that the high demand for tech-voc skills locally may yet lead to conversion of TESDA into a department. A bill now being hatched by Rep. Raul “Boboy” Tupas calls for the creation of the Department of Technical-Vocational Education.  Hat’s off to Boboy for that. When departmentalized, TESDA’s present budget of P6.9 billion could probably double or triple.

This writer, in fact, has been saying that instead of the K-12 program or “compulsory kindergarten to grade 12,” the government should have defrayed more funds for TESDA to solve the problem on dearth of technical vocational workers. The job market does not look for college graduates who have spent more years in high school; it looks for skilled workers regardless of the number of years they have spent in school.

Therefore, the claim of the previous administration’s Education’s Secretary Armin Luistro that “we have been left behind” by other countries which require six years of high school as against our four is misleading. On the contrary, we have “brain drain” here because our professionals and skilled workers go abroad.

More years in school means more expenses, hence aggravating the dearth of college graduates. To reiterate the latest statistics, out of every 100 students who enroll in the elementary school, only 33 enroll in college. And of these 33, only 14 finally graduate.

To mitigate this problem, some private high schools have partnered with TESDA as venues for short-term technical vocational courses (two years or even less) that would attract poor students desirous of entering the job market.

The Lyceum of Alabang in Muntinglupa City, for example, offers two-year courses in Information Technology, Electronics, Bookkeeping and Tourism, among others. There are even three-month crash courses in Bartending, Cookery, Housekeeping, Food/Beverage Services, Baking and Computer Hardware Servicing.

The popularity of short courses truly mirrors the longing of poor parents to enable their children to live a more comfortable life sooner than later; and of children themselves to relieve their parents of financial burden.

It’s about time for TESDA to “graduate” into a department, having gone a long way since its inception as the National Manpower and Youth Council (NMYC) under the Department of Labor and Employment in 1970.

In 1994, the NMYC turned into TESDA with the signing of Republic Act RA 7796 by President Fidel Ramos. Thus began a new educational division aimed at harnessing the technical-vocational skills of the Filipino youth.

 TESDA aims to eradicate the labor-supply mismatch that involves students who complete college but don’t find jobs appropriate for their educational attainment because they do not have the required skills.

In 23 years, TESDA has reduced that mismatch. It has identified the employment-generating tech-voc courses as those related to construction, tourism, electronics, logistics and agriculture.  As of latest survey under the leadership of Director General Guiling Mamondiong, 68 percent of TESDA national certificate holders get employed whether here or abroad./PN

PEOPLE POWWOW: Is Treñas really quitting politics?

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

THIS WRITER had thought of opinionating on information aired by businessman Rommel Ynion concerning Rep. Jerry Treñas’ “death threat” against Councilor Plaridel Nava. The alleged source of the yarn (suspected drug lord Melvin Odicta) having died, however, it would go down as mere hearsay. Moreover, clashing opinions have already muddled the issue in the social media.

This corner would rather discuss it from an apolitical standpoint. Whether true or false, it would do no harm to Treñas because, after “graduation” from the House of Representatives in 2019, he would not seek another public office.

Skeptics, however, anchor their disbelief on no less than the congressman’s re-filed bill aimed at dividing Iloilo City into two legislative districts. With two districts, his allies – Mayor Jed Mabilog and Vice Mayor Jose Espinosa III – could both run for congressmen without clashing against each other, while he himself could run for mayor.

Otherwise, with only one district, he would have to give way to “bilas” Espinosa for mayor, thus preserving their strong triumvirate.

Treñas’ House Bill 1219 proposes the division of the city into two legislative districts, one comprising Jaro, La Paz and Mandurriao; the other comprising Villa Arevalo, City Proper, Molo and Lapuz. With two districts, the city would enjoy additional infrastructure allocations.

The bill argues that redistricting complies with all the parameters set forth by Section 5(3), Article VI of the 1987 Constitution, which requires a city to have a minimum population of 250,000 to have a representative. It does not have to increase its population by another 250,000 to be entitled to an additional district.

In fact, the Supreme Court has resolved the issue with regard to two Metro Manila cities. Makati had a population of around 450,000 when it was divided into two congressional districts; Marikina, 424,000.

Since Treñas’ bill has already gained a counterpart in the Senate, authored by Sen. Panfilo Lacson, it’s a cinch it would turn into law.

Anticipating that possibility, would that restore the political appetite of Treñas?

With due respect to doubting Thomases, I don’t think so. Having been a councilor, mayor and congressman in the past two decades, Treñas at 60 would no doubt prefer to return to private life without worrying about his family’s future.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens,” he quoted the Bible (Ecclesiastes 3:1) on the day he announced his decision to quit politics and allow younger aspirants to take over.

“I want to enjoy the time left with my loved ones,” he added. “Time cannot be bought.”

Even the congressman’s wife, businesswoman Rosalie Sarabia-Treñas, has slowed down in order to hand over to their children the responsibility of taking care of the family business so that they, too, would rest on their laurels in old age.

Family business refers to the RJT Group of Companies.  RJT – which stands for “Rosalie & Jerry Treñas” – comprises Carlo’s Bakeshop, Ang Kamalig and Wild Bamboo restaurants. It is not surprising that today, all five children of the couple play specific roles in running the three establishments. They all have earned diplomas in various food-related courses ranging from Hotel and Restaurant Management to Culinary Arts and Pastry and Confectionery.

Put up by Mrs. Treñas 30 years ago, Carlo’s has morphed into one of the biggest local bakeries with 11 branches in Iloilo City, Capiz and Antique. Daughter Raisa is now its chief executive officer; son Carlo, director for store operations; and son Paolo, head of marketing and business development.

Strange as it seems, none of the Treñas siblings are interested in politics./PN