Bridging Education and Vocational Training between PTC – Davao and Tacunan National High School

A meeting between representatives from the Provincial Training Center–Davao (PTC–Davao) and officials from Tacunan National High School (TNHS) in Barangay Tacunan, Tugbok District on July 23, 2024, marked an important milestone in improving educational outcomes. The inception of an Adopt-a-School Program occurred during this coordination meeting, aiming to strengthen the connection between academic and vocational education.

Personnel from both sides came together for the meeting. PTC–Davao was represented by Engr. Sammy S. Cameros, the Center Administrator, Jonathan D. Samillano, the Vocational Instruction Supervisor and CGAP Focal Niel Ven L. Bacalangco. The representatives from TNHS were Master Teacher I Cristina B. Florida, Brigada Coordinator and Teacher II Vincent G. Ultiano, and Teacher II Maria Rhea S. Dizon.

This initiative seeks to establish a mutually beneficial relationship between PTC–Davao and TNHS. The partnership aims to exchange expertise, enhance the skills of TNHS TVL track teachers, and provide training opportunities. This approach acknowledges the changing demands of education in a fast-paced job market, where technical and vocational skills are becoming more important.

The proposed Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) will solidify this partnership, establishing a foundation for a structured and lasting collaboration. This agreement could be a model for future partnerships, bringing about significant changes in the education sector of Davao City and surrounding areas.

The Adopt-a-School Program exemplifies a progressive approach to education. Merging academic and vocational training seeks to enhance students’ readiness for the demands of the modern workforce. This partnership provides TNHS teachers valuable professional development opportunities to enhance their teaching methods with practical, industry-relevant skills.

This program shows an increasing acknowledgment of the necessity for comprehensive, interconnected educational methods. Encouraging collaboration across different educational institutions paves the way for eradicating educational isolation and nurturing graduates with versatile expertise.

TESDA, BEPA AND LGUs EMPOWER COMMUNITIES THROUGH ELECTRICAL SKILLS TRAINING

TESDA Davao City District Office, along with the Provincial Training Center – Davao and Barangay Electricians Practitioners Administration (BEPA), launched a major initiative in Brgy. Baganihan, Marilog District, Davao City on July 22, 2024. The program’s goal is to empower residents and improve community self-sufficiency through Skills Training in Electrical Installation and Maintenance NC II.
 
Key figures from local government, technical education, and the power industry have joined forces in this collaborative effort. Among the attendees were City Councilor Alberto T. Ungab of the 3rd District of Davao City, Acting District Director Myrna C. Roa, Center Administrator Engr. Sammy S. Cameros, CTEC Focal Ivy Margate, and Hon. Arnold S. Angit, Barangay Captain of Brgy. Baganihan.
 
BEPA’s leadership, including Engr. Jonathan Medalla, Chairman and Supervisor at Davao Light and Power Company and Vice Chairman Engr. Charlo Deniega, brought industry expertise to the program. Their involvement suggested a curriculum aligned with current industry standards and practices.
 
The initiative targets aspiring electricians from three barangays: Baganihan, Datu Salumay, and Buda. By offering thorough training, the program aims to establish a group of certified barangay electricians. This approach guarantees the presence of skilled professionals in these communities and creates job opportunities for participants.
 
This program represents a forward-thinking approach to community development. By investing in local skills and human capital, it addresses immediate needs for electrical services while potentially stimulating economic growth in these barangays. This program can be a blueprint for similar initiatives elsewhere, showing how focused skills training can empower individuals and strengthen communities.
 
It will be important to track the effects of skills training on employment rates, community electrification projects, and overall electrical service quality in the target barangays. The success of this initiative could create opportunities for expanded training programs and enhanced collaboration between government, TESDA, and industry sectors in meeting community needs.

DCDO AND PTC-DAVAO CONDUCT COORDINATION MEETING FOR BEPA PROGRAM

On July 4, 2024, the Provincial Training Center - Davao and Davao City District Office conducted a coordination meeting and profiling activity for Electrical Installation and Maintenance NC II trainees under the Barangay Electrician Practitioners Association (BEPA) program. This significant event occurred across three Local Government Units in Marilog District, Davao City: Brgy. Baganihan, Brgy. Datu Salumay, and Brgy. Buda.

The meeting aimed to recognize the existing electricians within the community to provide skills training and to help them secure their national certificates. Additionally, the initiative sought to prepare these individuals to serve as official barangay electricians in their respective communities. This approach not only enhances the skills of local electricians but also contributes to community development by ensuring each barangay has qualified electrical practitioners.

PTC-Davao Center Administrator Engr. Sammy S. Cameros led the activity alongside its Vocational Instruction Supervisor Designate Jonathan D. Samillano, DCDO Special Project Focal Francis Rey Q. Buñawan, and BEPA member Allan M. Salon.

This program represents a momentous step towards professionalizing local electricians and improving electrical services in rural areas. By combining skills enhancement with community service, the program aspires to create a sustainable model for developing skilled professionals who are deeply connected to their local communities. The success of this program could potentially serve as a blueprint for similar initiatives in other technical fields, further contributing to the overall development and safety of barangays across the region.

PTC-DAVAO CONDUCTS BENCHMARKING ACTIVITY AT THE PHILIPPINE SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL SOUTHERN MINDANAO CAMPUS

TESDA XI Regional Director Ashary A. Banto, together with DCDO Acting Director Myrna C. Roa and the Provincial Training Center – Davao personnel led by Engr. Sammy S. Cameros conducted a benchmarking activity on July 3, 2024, at the Philippine Science High School Southern Mindanao Campus (PSHS-SMC) in Brgy. Sto. Niño, Tugbok District, Davao City. Sir Giemar D. Legaspi, the Finance and Admin Division Chief of PSHS-SMC, accompanied the team.

The benchmarking activity aims to explore and learn from the advanced educational facilities at the PSHS-SMC. The team conducted an in-depth tour of three key areas: the Smart Classroom, the Mac Room, and the Fab Lab. These state-of-the-art facilities showcased the school's commitment to integrating technology into education.

A highlight of the visit was the team's interaction with the robot named Nao. This encounter enabled them to firsthand experience how cutting-edge technology is incorporated into the learning environment.

The Smart Classroom, in particular, drew significant attention. It was revealed that this facility has been in operation since 2016, thanks to a partnership with Samsung. Smart school systems allow for the streamlining of processes for teaching staff, making education smoother and more efficient. This long-standing implementation underscored the school's forward-thinking approach to education and its success in maintaining and developing technological resources.

Further, the team observed the integration of smart technologies in the teaching process, witnessed the functionality and benefits of the Mac Room for creative learning, and explored the capabilities of the Fab Lab for hands-on, experiential education.

The TESDA team appreciated the warm welcome and informative tour provided by their counterparts at PSHS-SMC. The benchmarking activity proved to be an invaluable learning experience. It provided insights into how advanced technology can effectively integrate into educational settings to enhance learning outcomes. The longevity and success of the Smart Classroom initiative demonstrated the potential for sustained technological innovation in education. Undoubtedly, the knowledge acquired from this benchmarking activity will contribute to TESDA's efforts to enhance the educational experience of trainees in the Davao Region.

PTC – Davao conducts Training Induction Program to Aspiring Bakers in Brgy. Sirib

A Training Induction Program (TIP) for skills training in Bread and Pastry Production NC II was conducted by the TESDA Provincial Training Center–Davao in Barangay Sirib, Calinan District, Davao City on July 1, 2024. This initiative, a component of Project BAKERS (Babaeng Aktibo Kaakibat sa Ekonomiya Ramdan ay Sagana), seeks to provide local residents, particularly women, with essential baking skills.

TIP allows scholars to familiarize themselves with TESDA’s mission and operations, and highlights the many benefits of specialized skills training under the Special Training for Employment Program (STEP). TESDA is responding to the rising demand in the food service industry by emphasizing BPP NC II, giving participants marketable skills. 

Present at the TIP were Engr. Sammy S. Cameros, the Center Administrator, Jonathan D. Samillano, the Vocational Instruction Supervisor, Niel Ven L. Bacalangco, the Registrar, and Julius . Meanwhile, Barangay Kagawad Teddy Dugasan, overseeing the Women’s Committee, joined the event. This active involvement indicates a clear focus on empowering women in the community by promoting skills development, which may help address gender disparities in employment opportunities.

The decision to hold this program in Barangay Sirib reflects TESDA’s effort to reach local communities directly through skills training through its TESDA Sa Barangay program. This approach not only makes training more accessible but also customizes it to address specific needs because of the absence of a bakery in the area.

With the local expansion of the baking and pastry industry, this training program serves as a timely intervention. This will increase the number of skilled bakers in the women’s association, potentially boosting barangay economic activity.

PTC-DAVAO AND JCI DAVAO PROVIDE ENHANCEMENT TRAINING FOR PROJECT BAKERS GRADUATES IN BRGY. BAGO OSHIRO

On June 30, 2024, TESDA Provincial Training Center – Davao has teamed up with Junior Chamber International (JCI) Davao to boost the baking skills of Bread and Pastry Production NC II graduates under Project BAKERS. This initiative aimed to provide advanced training for women, refining their skills in bread and pastry production and empowering them to achieve their dream of opening “Panaderya ni Juana,” their own community bakery.

The activity was attended by Jonathan D. Samillano, TESDA Specialist II and Special Project Focal, Hon. ImeldaB. Bajao, Barangay Kagawad and GAD Focal, and JCI Davao representatives led by its President Carlo Franco Santos, Secretary General Marc Leo Esponilla, and international baker Mike Hingpit. Mr. Samillano acknowledged the potential of the collaboration, emphasizing its significance for women’s economic empowerment.

Our objective, as Esponilla explained, is to inspire the association with the additional knowledge and skills needed to establish their own Panaderya ni Juana. With the combined support of JCI Davao, TESDA, and the Barangay Council, we are here to turn your dream into reality.

The participants engaged eagerly in learning the intricacies of baking various breads and pastries. Impressed by their commitment, Hingpit remarked that they would thrive as bakery owners. At the end of the training, the participants proudly presented their freshly baked Pâte à Choux (Choux Au Craquelin), showcasing their newly acquired skills.

The women felt a renewed sense of purpose and excitement. The enhancement training not only enriched their baking abilities, but also ignited an entrepreneurial spirit within the Bago Oshiro community.

COORDINATION MEETING FOR PROJECT BAKERS IN BRGY. BAGO OSHIRO

A coordination meeting occurred on April 8, 2024, at Brgy. Bago Oshiro, Tugbok District, Davao City, between the TESDA Provincial Training Center–Davao, represented by Engr. Sammy S. Cameros, Center Administrator, and the Bago Oshiro Barangay Council. The meeting aimed to strengthen the partnership between PTC–Davao and the Bago Oshiro Barangay Council, as well as to discuss further the Bread and Pastry Production NC II skills training under Project BAKERS, which is anchored to TESDA sa Barangay. Additionally, the meeting aimed to address plans for starting a bakery managed by the Women’s Organization of Brgy. Bago Oshiro.

During the meeting, TESD Specialist II and Special Project Focal, Jonathan D. Samillano, introduced the concept of Project BAKERS to Hon. Mark Malaya O. Peregrino, the Barangay Captain, and Hon. Imelda B. Bajao, a Barangay Councilor and GAD Focal. Mr. Samillano highlighted that the project intends to support Sec Teng's flagship program: TESDA sa Barangay, as part of a broader 10-point Agenda to extend TESDA's influence to barangays and integrate technical vocational education and training (TVET) into the community to benefit more Filipinos. The project seeks to empower women for social and economic stability and establish a BPP training center within the barangay, eventually leading to the establishment of "Panaderya ni Juana" as part of the association’s livelihood initiative.

Hon. Peregrino expressed gratitude to TESDA PTC–Davao for choosing Brgy. Bago Oshiro as the project's beneficiary, stating its alignment with their economic enterprise program, particularly benefiting the women’s sector and the wider community. On the other hand, Hon. Bajao stressed the importance of instituting a barangay-led training center for BPP to enhance the community's competencies, especially for women, and expressed hope for the sustainability of the women's association's livelihood efforts to improve their financial standing.

PTC-DAVAO TEAM CONDUCTS VEHICLE INSPECTION AT NEDA

The Provincial Training Center–Davao extends its heartfelt gratitude to the staff of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Region XI in Bangkal, Davao City, for inviting the training center to inspect a vehicle intended for transfer without cost on March 18, 2024. Led by Supply and Procurement Officer, Administrative Officer IV Maria Ana D. Sacedor, NEDA conducted a thorough inventory of their property, plant, and equipment (PPE) to assess the condition of each item. Following this assessment, they offered PTC–Davao the opportunity to express interest in acquiring the Isuzu Crosswind and arrange its transfer to the training center.

PTC–Davao Center Administrator Engr. Sammy S. Cameros has expressed a strong interest in obtaining the vehicle, acknowledging its potential use in conducting the Driving NC II qualification in the institution. Additionally, Ms. Sacedor mentioned that she would send an email with a list of equipment earmarked for disposal.

The inspection team included Jonathan D. Samillano, Procurement and Supply Officer–Designate, and Mr. Alexis C. Perez, Vocational Instruction Supervisor–Designate.

PTC-DAVAO JOINS CAREER GUIDANCE IN TACUNAN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

The Provincial Training Center–Davao received an invitation to present a talk during the Career Guidance Week 2024, under the theme "Empowering Tomorrow's Leaders: Career Exploration and Preparation," held at Tacunan National High School on March 18, 2024. The objective of the event is to provide students with the necessary motivation and information to make well-informed decisions regarding their future career paths. Christina Florida, Master Teacher I, who serves as the Senior High School Focal Person delivered the welcome address. 

Distinguished guests invited to speak during the Career Talk included representatives from St. John Paul II College of Davao, Ms. Rosela Megs Jabol, Admission Officer; from the Public Employment Service Office (PESO), Ms. Charisse Santos-Tolentino; and finally, from PTC – Davao, Mr. Niel Ven Bacalangco, TESD Specialist I.