Senator Richard Gordon on Monday called on returning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are set to observe strict mandatory quarantine or are already undergoing isolation to enroll at the online courses offered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to keep their patience and their minds occupied towards self-improvement.

The online courses, Gordon noted, range from eight to 40 hours and can help them consider new opportunities. Courses range from electrical and electronics, entrepreneurship, information and communications technology (ICT), basic computer operations, cooking, agriculture, tourism, automotive, healthcare among others.

“We encourage OFWs to spend their quarantine or isolation by enrolling in the TESDA's online courses as there are over 60 or more to choose from, which could help them open new opportunities upon completion of quarantine,” Gordon said.

“In taking part of these online courses, we can expand the knowledge and abilities of our new heroes, because these can help them find new jobs wherever they want to,” he said.

Gordon pointed out that since the onset of the pandemic, TESDA’s online programs have attracted millions of Filipinos as part of the government's efforts to rehabilitate the floundering economy.

Statistics show that that about 7,500 OFWs have enrolled with TESDA in 2020, with 6,140 of them graduating, while 1,856 were certified by the government agency.

Gordon said TESDA has helped many Filipinos unlock their true potential, with many of them succeeding in their chosen fields they studied.

“The TESDA concept is very special because it teaches people not to let themselves wallow in self-pity, instead be able to improve through quality skills education,” he pointed out.

“They are willing to be educated themselves as blue collar workers, which are the kind of jobs Filipinos are in demand for abroad. By learning new concepts, they could find new jobs either here or overseas, which will directly bolster the economy,” he stressed.

Gordon, who is running for the Senate in the upcoming May 2022 elections, is a known advocate of employment programs since his stint as Olongapo mayor. His Senate office has been empowering people through the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

TUPAD is an empowerment program of the DOLE which provides community-based emergency employment for a range of 10-30 days targeting beneficiaries that are un/underemployed, terminated, or self-employed workers.