House Speaker Martin Romualdez envisions faster certification for senior high school students under the technical-vocational-livelihood (SHS-TVL) track, thanks to the data-sharing pact between the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Department of Education (DepEd).

More importantly, this will open wider opportunities for the students' employment and career growth, said Romualdez.

“This partnership ensures that our SHS-TVL learners will suffer no delay in accessing TESDA’s assessments and services. With faster and more accurate certification, our graduates can more quickly pursue jobs or further studies, giving them a real head start in life,” Romualdez said in a statement Friday, Sept. 12.

He emphasized that linking TESDA’s Assessment Schedules Information System (ASIS) with DepEd’s Learners Information System (LIS) will eliminate bottlenecks in scheduling and validation. This will ensure that SHS-TVL learners are promptly assessed and certified.

“Sa pamamagitan ng kasunduang ito, masisiguro natin ang mas mabilis at mas maayos na proseso para makakuha ng TESDA certification na ang ating mga kabataang nasa TVL track. Ito ang magsisilbing susi upang mas marami sa kanila ang makahanap ng magandang trabaho o magpatuloy sa mas mataas na antas ng pagsasanay,” said the Speaker.

(Through this agreement, we can ensure a faster and more efficient process for our youth in the TVL track to obtain TESDA certification. This will serve as the key for more of them to find good jobs or pursue higher levels of training.)

The Leyte 1st district congressman issued the statement after TESDA Secretary Francisco Benitez and DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara signed the agreement to integrate their databases for TVL learners nationwide.

To address concerns about data privacy, Romualdez welcomed the assurance that both agencies have designated data protection officers and implemented strict safeguards, including encryption, multi-factor authentication, and breach notification protocols.

“Digital transformation is vital, but strong protections must ensure our students’ data remains secure,” underscored the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) president.

Romualdez affirmed the full support of the House of Representatives for strengthening technical-vocational education, in line with President Marcos' vision to transform the education system and ensure that every Filipino family has at least one college or technical-vocational graduate.

“The 1987 Constitution mandates that education be given the highest priority in the national budget. As lawmakers, we are duty-bound to see this through, especially for our senior high school learners whose skills and talents are in the technical-vocational fields,” Romualdez said.

For 2026, TESDA’s proposed P19.96-billion budget under the National Expenditure Program (NEP) earmarks P18.39 billion for the Technical Education and Skills Development Program.

Another P505.906 million is allocated for the Development, Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation of Assessment and Certification Systems, with P348.721 million intended specifically for the assessment of SHS learners for national certification.

“As public servants, we must make our learners feel that even at a young age, they can rely on the government as a steady partner in opening doors of opportunity—whether through higher education or jobs that sharpen their technical-vocational skills,” Romualdez said.