President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the government has allocated nearly ₱19 billion for Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) scholarship programs this year, calling it the largest budget in the agency’s history.
Marcos made the announcement Friday during the mass graduation ceremony of 1,150 TESDA Ilocos Norte National Certification (NC) II scholars at the Ilocos Norte National High School Gymnasium in Laoag City. The graduates completed training in dressmaking and bartending. NC II certification recognizes intermediate-level skills across various trades and is intended to make holders more competitive in the job market.
For Filipino jobseekers and workers weighing technical-vocational training over a four-year degree, the funding increase means TESDA plans to admit more scholars and widen its program offerings this year, according to Marcos.
“Halos ₱19 bilyon ang inilaan natin para sa mga scholarship program upang mas maraming Pilipino pa ang magkaroon ng pagkakataong matuto at magkaroon ng magandang hanapbuhay,” Marcos said.
Marcos referenced his most recent State of the Nation Address, where he had described Filipino citizens as the country’s most valuable investment.
“Kapag namumuhunan tayo sa kakayahan ng Pilipino, namumuhunan tayo sa mas matatag na pamilya, mas masiglang ekonomiya, at mas magandang kinabukasan ng bansa,” he said.
The President said TESDA has expanded its Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) program to align trainee skills more closely with employer requirements. He added that the government is increasing the budget for the Tulong Trabaho Scholarship Program, which assists graduates in finding jobs after completing training.
TESDA has also expanded its Online Program to reach students who have difficulty attending in-person classes, and extended its Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for Social Equity Program to broaden access among disadvantaged groups. Separately, Marcos said TESDA is strengthening micro-credentialing under its TVET framework to speed up certification and align graduate skills with global standards.
“Mga kababayan, bahagi lang ang mga programang ito ng ating layuning magbukas ng mas maraming oportunidad para sa bawat Pilipinong handang magsikap para umasenso,” Marcos said.
Marcos thanked TESDA instructors and private-sector partners involved in training the scholars and told graduates the ceremony marked the start of their careers rather than the end of their studies.
TESDA has not released a public breakdown of how the ₱19 billion allocation will be distributed across its individual programs for 2026.
