Marking a historic step in the country’s education sector, the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) convened on Friday, October 3, for the first-ever Joint National Management Committee (ManCom) meeting.

In a statement, DepEd said the landmark gathering was held in line with President Marcos’s education agenda. It underscored a whole-of-government approach to addressing learning losses caused by disasters and crises, while also strengthening linkages across basic, higher, and technical-vocational education.

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara described the meeting as historic, noting that it was the first time the three key education agencies came together to ensure that the country’s learning delivery systems remain resilient during calamities.

“Historic in its nature ang meeting na ito dahil, for the first time, nagsama-sama ang tatlong pangunahing ahensiya ng edukasyon sa bansa upang matiyak na ang ating learning delivery ay handang tumugon sa hamon ng mga kalamidad (Historic in its nature, this meeting marks the first time that the three major education agencies in the country have come together to ensure that our learning delivery is prepared to respond to the challenges posed by disasters),” Angara said.

Fresh from leading whole-of-government relief efforts in quake-hit Bogo City, Cebu, Angara joined CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis, TESDA Secretary Kiko Benitez, and EDCOM 2 Executive Director Karol Mark Yee in convening top officials to discuss urgent education concerns.

TESDA Secretary Benitez led a moment of silence for Filipinos affected by recent disasters—particularly students—emphasizing the importance of building resilience in human development.

During the plenary, the agencies focused on addressing learning losses and urgent education challenges; strengthening public-private partnerships; ensuring the employability and industry alignment of graduates; and expanding inclusive programs that connect Senior High School (SHS), scholarships, and workforce needs.

About 15 industry partners also participated, stressing the need for closer collaboration between schools and employers to better prepare graduates for rapidly evolving workforce demands.

Some private sector representatives highlighted existing partnerships with public schools for upskilling learners and raised the need to integrate such initiatives into structured career pathways.

The Joint ManCom produced several significant agreements, including:

- A DepEd, CHED, and TESDA Memorandum of Understanding on data sharing to harmonize education standards;

- A DepEd-TESDA Memorandum of Agreement to enhance Tech-Voc implementation in Senior High School;

- A reaffirmation of the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF) to strengthen national education benchmarks.

The agencies also reviewed challenges and opportunities in the SHS Technical-Vocational Track, linkages with the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and the Tertiary Education Subsidy, and strategies to expand access to inclusive programs nationwide.

CHED Chairperson Agrupis called the gathering a milestone for the trifocalized education system, stressing the importance of working together toward shared goals.

“This is really a milestone for our country and for our trifocalized education system,” Agrupis said. “This is the time that we will be together with our team for a common goal towards quality education and address the problems and concerns on the ground,” she added.

With the first Joint ManCom setting the tone for closer coordination, DepEd, CHED, and TESDA reaffirmed their shared commitment to strengthening the country’s education system—ensuring that Filipino learners can withstand disruptions and thrive in a competitive global workforce.