President Aquino lauds TESDA for receiving ISO
Certification
President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday lauded
the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for receiving
a Nationwide International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001:2008
Certification.
Speaking during the awarding ceremony, held at the
Heroes Hall of Malacañang Palace, President Aquino said the certification
covers TESDA’s central office, 17 regional offices, 81 provincial offices, and
its office in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
“Patunay ang tagumpay na ito: Tuloy-tuloy ang
positibong transpormasyon ng ating pamahalaan; tuloy-tuloy ang pag-aangat natin
sa kalidad ng buhay ng ating mga Boss, ang mamamayang Pilipino,” he said.
The certification, which was presented by Femelyn Lati,
general manager of the quality management agency TÜV SÜD PSB Philippines, Inc.,
recognizes the quality, safety and reliability of TESDA’s products and
services.
“Ngayong tatak-ISO na ang TESDA, masisigurong
higit pang magiging mahusay at makabuluhan ang kanilang training programs.
Samakatuwid, diretso ang benepisyo nito sa kanilang trainees at scholars—mula
sa out-of-school youth, sa mga kabilang sa sektor ng persons with disabilities,
hanggang sa senior citizens—mga Pilipinong higit nang nabibigyan ng pag-asa’t
pagkakataong umangat at umasenso sa buhay, at panghawakan ang sariling
tadhana,” the President said.
Noting that 65.3 percent of the 7.1 million
graduates of TESDA's Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as
of December 2014 have been employed, he attributed TESDA’s success to its
leaders and staff.
"Malinaw po: Ang tagumpay na ito ay hindi
nagmula sa sistemang bara-bara, kundi sa kalkulado’t tiyak na mga hakbang;
hindi sa tsamba, kundi sa sama-samang hangarin at pagsisikap ng bumubuo ng
TESDA, kasama na ang kanilang mga mag-aaral at mga napagtapos," President
Aquino said.
TESDA Secretary Joel Villanueva, for his part,
said that since news broke out that TESDA is now ISO-certified, some companies
have eased their work experience requirements for TESDA graduates.
Villlanueva noted that the employment rate of
TESDA graduates is now at 65 percent, compared to 28 percent during the
previous administration.
TESDA is the second agency under the executive
branch to obtain a nationwide ISO Certification. The Department of Health was
the first agency to receive the status in December 2013.
The Munich-based TÜV SÜD PSB is the country’s
leading multinational certification and inspection body, which provides
inspection, certification, valuation, validation, training, and testing
services.
The ISO has since 1947 been certifying the
adherence of government and private enterprises to worldwide industrial and
commercial standards of excellence. ISO International Standards ensure that
products and services are safe, reliable and of good quality.
Also present at the event were Labor and
Employment Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, TESDA Region 11 Director Gaspar Gayona,
and directors of TESDA’s regional and provincial offices. PND (ag)
APEC forum on energy begins in Southeast Asia’s
renewable energy capital
(LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte) The 44th Meeting of the
Expert Group on New and Renewable Energy Technologies (EGNRET44), a sub-working
group of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), began on Monday at the
Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel here.
“As an emerging renewable energy capital in the
country, and even in Southeast Asia, we are proud that the province had been
chosen to host the meeting to be attended by experts, engineers, and scientists
from all over the world, as well as local Filipino scientists who wish to see
the operations of our wind farms, the new solar power plant, and the
rehabilitated hydropower plant here in Ilocos Norte,” Governor Imee Marcos said
in a press statement.
Member economies of the APEC attending the meeting
are Hongkong, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, the United States, and the
Philippines, which co-chairs the EGNRET with Chinese Taipei.
The EGNRET is chaired by Dr. Chung-Hsien Chen of
Chinese Taipei’s Ministry of Economic Affairs-Bureau of Energy, and co-chaired
by Director Mario Marasigan of the Department of Energy’s Renewable Energy
Management Bureau.
In his welcome address on Monday morning,
Marasigan said Ilocos Norte has a unique renewable technology program that
features a solar power installation inside a wind power facility in the
northern town of Burgos.
The province is already home to wind farms that
produce 283 megawatts (MW) of power, in the towns of Burgos, Bangui, and
Pagudpud.
Last year, two big wind farm projects went on
operation -- the 150-MW Burgos wind farm project of the Energy Development
Corporation, and the 81-MW Caparispisan wind energy project of the North Luzon
Renewable Energy Corporation in Pagudpud. The Northwind project in Bangui has
also been expanded from 33 MW to 52 MW.
Delegates from APEC member economies have arrived
in the province for the meeting and workshops on renewable energy.
Technical experts or division chiefs of BIG SHOW
(Biomass, Biofuel, Geothermal, Solar, Hydro, Ocean, and Wind) sectors has
joined the delegates.
The result of the Ilocos Norte meeting will be
presented to APEC energy officials in October during the Energy Ministers’
Meeting (EMM12) to be held in Cebu.
The EGNRET aims to facilitate the increase in the
use of new and renewable energy technologies in the APEC region.
The energy working group will continue the
implementation of new and renewable energy technology workshops and projects
that help build the needed human capacity to implement renewable energy
development across the Asia Pacific.
Governor Marcos has organized a welcome dinner for
the delegates on Monday (April 13) at the premises of the world heritage Paoay
Church.
The delegates will be regaled with cultural
presentations, featuring the internationally acclaimed Samiweng Singers and
Ilocano dancers.
A night tour will also be offered to delegates who
want to explore Ilocos Norte’s capital and neighboring towns.
Governor Marcos expressed hope that by hosting the
meeting, Ilocos Norte would be included in the APEC map, making the province a
top venue for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions.
The Philippines is hosting the 2015 APEC Summit,
which carries the theme, “Building Inclusive Economies, Building a Better
World.” PIA (Region 1)
