Commissioners of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) pushed to boost the digital capabilities of the Technical Education Skills Development Authority. During the Senate Plenary hearing on the 2025 budget proposal of TESDA sponsored by EDCOM 2 Commissioner Senator Joel Villanueva, the agency sought an additional allocation of PhP 74.668 million to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to make their services more innovative, efficient, and responsive to the evolving needs of the labor market.
“This is a worthwhile proposal by no less than the Secretary of TESDA…I believe this digital transformation project will have a positive impact on TESDA’s operations, from training regulation to training delivery”, EDCOM 2 Co-Chairperson Senator Win Gatchalian said.
The proposed budget will support three key projects: the development of an AI-Powered TVET Course Builder, an AI-powered Labor Market Researcher, and the Scholarship Information System (SIS).
The AI-powered Course Builder is designed to automate the creation and updating of Training Regulations and Competency Standards, streamlining TESDA’s processes and ensuring that training programs remain relevant and high-quality.
Meanwhile, the AI-powered Labor Market Researcher will process extensive labor data to provide real-time insights on job trends, skill needs, and workforce demands, helping TESDA to anticipate and address industry needs proactively.
The SIS, integrated with TESDA’s Training Management Information System (T2MIS), will allow real-time monitoring and data-driven decision-making on scholarship allocations, improving transparency and efficiency in program management.
These initiatives align with EDCOM priorities to enhance the relevance of TVET programs by enabling the agency to better forecast skill gaps and labor shortages and pivot quickly to respond to rapidly changing demands of the labor market.
EDCOM 2 Commissioner Senator Joel Villanueva, expressed full support to the proposal: “With this program, Mr. President, we’ll be able to develop microcompetencies, microcredentials, skills passports, Mr. President, and my favorite topic — the supermarket of competencies”.
“Can you imagine, Mr. President, when you are just going through like a supermarket, na may cart ka nalang at sa cart mo na yun kukunin mo nalang itong mga microcredentials. That is what we want”, Villanueva continued.
