The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), through its SPARK Program, is accepting applications for 75 scholarship slots for a free Virtual Assistant (VA) Services Level III training program open to qualified residents of the National Capital Region. The program is being run in partnership with Aboitiz Foundation and BELART.
The training gives Filipino jobseekers, particularly in Metro Manila, a state-funded path into freelance and remote digital work, an industry that has grown steadily in the Philippines as more Filipinos take on VA, customer support, and back-office roles for local and international clients. The program is designed for residents who have Internet access and a device but may lack formal credentials or funding for private VA training courses, which typically cost several thousand pesos.
Who can apply
- Resident of the National Capital Region (NCR)
- At least 18 years old
- Has access to a laptop or desktop computer
- Has a stable internet connection
- Able to commit to completing the training and OJT
- Willing to work in the digital economy
- Preferably from priority sectors (e.g., women, solo parents, out-of-school youth, PWDs, OFWs)
- Registered with TESDA’s Beneficiaries Skills Registry System (BSRS)
Training will run in three batches under a hybrid setup, combining online and in-person sessions, and will include on-the-job training with industry partners after the classroom phase.
Applicants who pass an English proficiency test and a typing test, and who complete or verify their TESDA BSRS registration, move on to a virtual interview. Those selected after the interview are endorsed for the training proper. Successful applicants who clear the English and typing tests will get an email with instructions for the next stage, and the program is asking applicants to check their spam or junk folders as well.
Requirements to prepare (for selected participants)
- Updated resume
- High School or College Diploma
- Form 137/138 (for High School Graduates)
- Transcript of Records (for College Graduates)
- PSA/NSO Birth Certificate
- Marriage Certificate (if applicable)
- Valid government-issued ID with 3 specimen signatures
- Passport-size, 1×1, and 2×2 ID photos
- TESDA BSRS registration and enrollment forms
- One (1) long brown envelope
- One (1) long white folder
All documentary requirements must be printed on A4-size paper.
Screening runs from September 25 to October 7, 2026, with training scheduled to begin October 14, 2026.
Interested applicants can register through the QR code included in the DICT poster or via the online form at forms.gle/dqeW1eQapV8pzn2Q8. Inquiries can be sent to [email protected].
