Solons support TESDA's appeal for bigger budget in 2020
Published Aug 29, 2019 12:09 pm
By Charissa Luci-Atienza
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Isidro Lapeña on Thursday appealed to lawmakers to increase their proposed P11.851-billion budget for 2020 to enable the agency to reach out to more Filipinos, particularly the unemployed and marginalized.
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) (MANILA BULLETIN)
He made the appeal at Thursday’s House Committee on Appropriations’ deliberations on TESDA’s budget for next year, a plea immediately supported by several congressmen.
“Although is slowly increasing over the years, TESDA needs bigger allocation because we are targeting the lower strata in our society and reaching all sectors in our society, being true to our slogan of ‘TESDA, Abot Lahat’,” he said during his presentation.
He said TESDA originally proposed P19.9 billion as budget for 2020, but the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) only approved P11.851 billion, which is six-percent lower than this year’s appropriations under the General Appropriations Act of 2019.
Of the TESDA’s proposed P11.851 billion budget for next year, P11.302 million goes to Technical Education and Skills Development Program; P84.3 million for Technical Education and Skills Development Regulatory Program; and P49.8 million for Technical Education and Skills Development Policy Program.
RECOBODA party-list Rep. Godofredo Guya lamented that TESDA has the lowest budget.
“Mr. Chair, TESDA is the one giving skills training to Filipino brothers and sisters, giving economic activity in the entire country. In fact, most of our OFWs are trained by TESDA and these are the ones giving more dollars to the country. Are you comfortable Honorable Secretary with this budget, mas maliit ang budget mo kaysa sa DepEd at CHED?” he asked.
“Dapat siguro, Mr. Chair, baligtarin natin (Let’s reverse then situation, Mr. Chair), we have to give more budget for skills training. If we look at the underemployed, marami pa (there are more). I think we have to look at this,” Guya said.
With Guya’s manifestation, Lapeña took the opportunity to further appeal for bigger funding before the House panel.
“We are just having 0.9 percent of the total clientele being served because of the budget. We will appeal for more budget so that we can access and provide assistance more Filipinos,” he told the panel.
Guya then asked Lapeña how much additional budget TESDA needs to carry out its mandate.
Lapeña said, “Our budget proposal in the amount of P19.9 billion and we are just given P11 billion, Your Honor. We will be needing about P8 billion.”
For his part, Leyte Rep. Vicente Veloso also sought to augment the budget of TESDA for next year.
“Most of our OFWs are TESDA-trained and therefore the dollars being remitted to the Philippines contributing to our economy has been mainly the contribution of TESDA. So if CHED received for 2019, P51.4 billion, I cannot understand why in 2019, you only received P12.5 billion and why for 2020, it is being reduced to P11 billion,” he said.
House Majority and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, Anakalusugan partylist Rep. Mike Defensor, Albay City Rep. Edcel Lagman, and Pangasinan Rep. Ramon Guico III also batted to increase the budget of TESDA for next year.
Romualdez said TESDA should be given additional budget to ensure more employment for Filipinos.
“TESDA should be given more funds to ensure better and competitive employment opportunities for Filipinos. It’s their mandate to reach out the unemployed and marginalized people,” he said after his brief meeting with Lapeña. The brief meeting was held at the House Majority Leader's Office after the House Committee on Appropriations' deliberations on the TESDA's 2020 budget.
During the budget hearing, Minority Leader Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. said given the “bigger role” of TESDA in the country’s economic landscape, it should be turned into “a different agency.”
TESDA is an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Previously, it was attached to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
“We should think about making TESDA a different agency,” Abante said.
Lapeña expressed gratitude to Abante for making such proposal.
“Thank you, Your Honor, considering the clientele and the purpose of TESDA,” he said.
“Well, perhaps Congress will be waiting for your proposal on that as we can see TESDA is a great help in reducing poverty in the country,” Abante said.
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) (MANILA BULLETIN)
He made the appeal at Thursday’s House Committee on Appropriations’ deliberations on TESDA’s budget for next year, a plea immediately supported by several congressmen.
“Although is slowly increasing over the years, TESDA needs bigger allocation because we are targeting the lower strata in our society and reaching all sectors in our society, being true to our slogan of ‘TESDA, Abot Lahat’,” he said during his presentation.
He said TESDA originally proposed P19.9 billion as budget for 2020, but the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) only approved P11.851 billion, which is six-percent lower than this year’s appropriations under the General Appropriations Act of 2019.
Of the TESDA’s proposed P11.851 billion budget for next year, P11.302 million goes to Technical Education and Skills Development Program; P84.3 million for Technical Education and Skills Development Regulatory Program; and P49.8 million for Technical Education and Skills Development Policy Program.
RECOBODA party-list Rep. Godofredo Guya lamented that TESDA has the lowest budget.
“Mr. Chair, TESDA is the one giving skills training to Filipino brothers and sisters, giving economic activity in the entire country. In fact, most of our OFWs are trained by TESDA and these are the ones giving more dollars to the country. Are you comfortable Honorable Secretary with this budget, mas maliit ang budget mo kaysa sa DepEd at CHED?” he asked.
“Dapat siguro, Mr. Chair, baligtarin natin (Let’s reverse then situation, Mr. Chair), we have to give more budget for skills training. If we look at the underemployed, marami pa (there are more). I think we have to look at this,” Guya said.
With Guya’s manifestation, Lapeña took the opportunity to further appeal for bigger funding before the House panel.
“We are just having 0.9 percent of the total clientele being served because of the budget. We will appeal for more budget so that we can access and provide assistance more Filipinos,” he told the panel.
Guya then asked Lapeña how much additional budget TESDA needs to carry out its mandate.
Lapeña said, “Our budget proposal in the amount of P19.9 billion and we are just given P11 billion, Your Honor. We will be needing about P8 billion.”
For his part, Leyte Rep. Vicente Veloso also sought to augment the budget of TESDA for next year.
“Most of our OFWs are TESDA-trained and therefore the dollars being remitted to the Philippines contributing to our economy has been mainly the contribution of TESDA. So if CHED received for 2019, P51.4 billion, I cannot understand why in 2019, you only received P12.5 billion and why for 2020, it is being reduced to P11 billion,” he said.
House Majority and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, Anakalusugan partylist Rep. Mike Defensor, Albay City Rep. Edcel Lagman, and Pangasinan Rep. Ramon Guico III also batted to increase the budget of TESDA for next year.
Romualdez said TESDA should be given additional budget to ensure more employment for Filipinos.
“TESDA should be given more funds to ensure better and competitive employment opportunities for Filipinos. It’s their mandate to reach out the unemployed and marginalized people,” he said after his brief meeting with Lapeña. The brief meeting was held at the House Majority Leader's Office after the House Committee on Appropriations' deliberations on the TESDA's 2020 budget.
During the budget hearing, Minority Leader Bienvenido “Benny” Abante Jr. said given the “bigger role” of TESDA in the country’s economic landscape, it should be turned into “a different agency.”
TESDA is an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Previously, it was attached to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
“We should think about making TESDA a different agency,” Abante said.
Lapeña expressed gratitude to Abante for making such proposal.
“Thank you, Your Honor, considering the clientele and the purpose of TESDA,” he said.
“Well, perhaps Congress will be waiting for your proposal on that as we can see TESDA is a great help in reducing poverty in the country,” Abante said.