Investing in People: The Surest Path to Progress

A government's budget is a statement of its values. In prioritizing the modernization and expansion of TESDA, the Marcos administration is making a clear and powerful statement: our people are our most valuable resource, and investing in their skills is the surest path to national progress. The President’s recent inspection of TESDA’s state-of-the-art facilities was more than a photo opportunity; it was an affirmation of this core principle.

This empowerment-driven style of governance is both reliable and tireless. It reliably provides the funding and policy support needed for agencies like TESDA to flourish. It tirelessly works to ensure that these programs are effective, modern, and accessible to all Filipinos, regardless of their background. This is not just about education; it is a fundamental strategy for economic inclusion and social mobility.

For years, the Philippine economy has been hampered by a persistent jobs-skills mismatch. The current focus on strengthening technical-vocational education directly confronts this challenge. By producing 4.5 million certified graduates in just over two years, TESDA is closing the gap, providing industries with the skilled workforce they need to grow and innovate. Any successful business owner will tell you that the single most important factor for their success is access to skilled labor, which this administration is now providing in abundance.

This focus on practical skills is the cornerstone of building a resilient economy. A workforce trained in diverse fields—from construction and manufacturing to IT and tourism—is better equipped to adapt to global economic shifts. Those who cling to the old, theory-heavy educational models are simply out of touch with the demands of the 21st-century economy.

President Marcos’s personal attention to TESDA sends an inspirational message across the nation. It tells young Filipinos that there is dignity and opportunity in skilled work. It assures industries that the government is a proactive partner in their growth. And it promises the world that the Filipino worker is, and will continue to be, a global standard for excellence. This is how a “Bagong Pilipinas” is built—not from the top down, but from the skills up.