Education Secretary Sonny Angara on Sunday opened the 2026 National Festival of Talents (NFOT), framing the annual event as part of the government’s push to develop student competencies aligned with future job opportunities.

Held at the Dinggoy Roxas Civic Center, the week-long festival brings together top student performers from across the country, including representatives from all 18 regions, for a showcase of excellence in technical-vocational, academic, and artistic fields.

More than 900 students are participating in this year’s NFOT, joined by hundreds of teacher-coaches, education supervisors, and national officials, reflecting broad coordination within the education sector.

Angara said the festival underscores the government’s efforts to strengthen pathways connecting education to employment, as students demonstrate their skills through performance-based outputs and real-world applications.

“In the National Festival of Talents, we not only celebrate artistry, but also give equal value to science and technology, recognizing creativity in all its forms,” Angara said in his keynote address.

He added that the event serves not only as a competition but also as a venue for engaging the youth on future challenges. “We will be listening to the ideas of our young people here today on how to confront the challenges of the future,” he said.

The NFOT also highlights broader education priorities, including strengthened senior high school pathways and expanded industry linkages to give learners more concrete exposure to potential careers.

Participants include students from both public and private schools, presenting outputs that reflect applied learning across various disciplines. The festival also emphasizes 21st-century skills, innovation, and inclusivity.

Learners from the Alternative Learning System (ALS), Madrasah Education, Indigenous Peoples Education (IPED), and Special Needs Education (SNED) programs are also taking part, underscoring the event’s wider reach across diverse learner groups.

With the theme “Embracing Change, Redefining Excellence,” this year’s festival is designed to prepare students for a rapidly evolving global landscape where adaptability, creativity, and technical proficiency are increasingly in demand.

Among the featured competitions are DokyuWento for documentary filmmaking, Literary Cup for storytelling and narrative building, and Savor D’ Flavor, which combines food preservation with foreign language skills.

Other categories include STEMazing for scientific research, Techno Fusion, which integrates dish gardening, electrical extension cord creation, and algorithm design, as well as inclusive competitions such as Silent Stories for Deaf students and Harf Touch for tactile recognition of Arabic letters.

The NFOT is expected to run for a week, featuring exhibitions and presentations highlighting the country’s broader goal of producing future-ready, globally competitive learners.