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.

PTC-DAVAO PROGRAM OFFERINGS

Over its 27-year tenure, PTC-Davao has undergone significant evolution, marking both achievements and challenges that have underscored its commitment to community service and the integrity-driven delivery of TESDA programs. Despite facing various transformations, PTC-Davao's steadfast dedication to providing quality technical education and skills training remains unwavering, as it continues to contribute to the workforce development and economic growth of the Davao Region.

Currently, PTC Davao has seven (7) qualifications namely: Bread and Pastry Production NC II, Shielded Metal Arc Welding NC I, Shielded Metal Arc Welding NC II, Electrical Installation and Maintenance NC II, Electronic Products Assembly and Servicing NC II, Driving NC II and Photovoltaic Systems Installation NC II.  Its Distinctive Area of Competence is Welding Technology.

The Center caters to walk-in applications for scholarship training such as the Training for Work Scholarship Program, Special Training for Employment Program, and community-based training and clients endorsed by the three (3) Congressional Districts of Davao City and other government agencies.

It also accepts applications from industry workers opting to avail of free assessment through the Competency Assessment and Certification for Workers program.

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.