In Davao City, Melanie Domingo, the administrator of the Wangan National Agricultural School under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), shared that 81,668 residents of the Davao Region have reaped the benefits of TESDA-11’s scholarship programs since President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. took office. This was highlighted during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum on December 17, 2024.
Domingo explained that these scholarships are designed to make technical education more accessible to those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The scholarships have been distributed across various programs, with the Training for Work Scholarship Program enrolling 29,450 participants, the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act supporting 18,489, the Special Training for Employment Program aiding 12,703, and the Tulong Trabaho Scholarship Program assisting 9,955 individuals.
Additional programs like the Rice Extension Services Program have benefited 7,171 people, while the Coconut Farmers Scholarship Program has supported 1,911. The Private Education Student Financial Assistance program has helped 1,309 scholars, and the Tsuper Iskolar program has aided 680 beneficiaries.
Domingo also reviewed TESDA-11’s progress in skills training over the last three years. The number of enrollees has grown from 63,737 in 2022 to 82,665 in 2023, and further to 83,146 by December 10, 2024. She noted a consistent increase in graduates, underscoring the success of the training initiatives.
To meet the rising demand, TESDA-11 has expanded its registered Technical and Vocational Education and Training programs from 56 in 2022 to 277 in 2023, and then to 222 in 2024. Domingo stressed the significance of partnerships, mentioning that TESDA-11 has forged 545 collaborations with industries, local government units, and academic institutions from 2022 to 2024 to enhance the effectiveness of these programs.