In this issue...

Editorial p.2Corners of my mind Regional Director p.2TESDA ONE shpaes 2013 workand financial plan p.3TESDA joins Ilocos Norte, Laoag City Job Fair p.3Fire out on Hearts’ day p.3TESDA PSAT classrooms get facelit p.6Team RTC trains DAR beneficiaries p.6Marches on March p.6Monette Lixiel C. Mislang continues to spread her wings to making dreams come true p.7NANDING: Behind the obvious p.7Ilocanas celebrate “Kinni-Kinni” Festival p.7Michael learns to craft p.8

The

TESDA ChronicleJanuary - March 2013Vol. 6 Issue No. 1

Technical-Vocational Education and Training in the Ilocos-Pangasinan Region

Secretary Villanueva launches C4TP in Pangasinan A festive air welcomed Secretary Joel Villanueva who joined close to 2,500 TESD scholars and trainees, LGU officials and other guests as the Cash for Training Program (C4TP) in Pangasinan officially took off on February 21, 2013 at the Sison Auditorium, Capitol Complex in Lingayen, Pangasinan. A 100-member Virgen Milagro sa University Foundation Marching Band playing Psy’s Gangnam Style added jovial mood to the first launching

talked about the program. A total of 1,735 out-of-school youth from Pan-gasinan benefitted from the C4TP cut from the 4,695 total regional alloca-tion. On a per capita cost of P20,000, Pangasinan scholarship budget took Php34.5million from the Php93.9million given out to Region I. The Depart-ment of Social Work and Development (DSWD) identified the beneficiaries. In relation to the C4TP, the Secretary stressed the importance of As-sessment and Certification as TESDA is a certification body like the Philippine Regulatory Commission (PRC). He also said that TESDA is taking extra mile in looking for jobs for its graduates with the installation of Blue Desks that serve as mini employment facilitation arm of TESDA. Based on the Tracer Study conducted in 2012, TESDA reported a 59% employment of its graduates. The successful launching of the C4TP was a collaborative work of TESDA Pangasinan Provincial Office and the Pangasinan Asso-ciation of Private TVIs (PAPTVI) headed by San Fabian Councilor Andre Justino A. Abalos. RD Querubin provided the overall management of the affair.

program of the C4TP. All C4TP beneficiaries in Pangasi-nan along with their respective Municipal Social Work and Development Officers (MSWDOs) lined up the stage to get their scholarship vouchers. Secretary Villanue-va, Congressman Leopoldo N. Bataoil, Pangasinan Governor Amado T. Espino, Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calim-lim, Jr, TESDA Regional Director Cenon M. Querubin with Pangasinan Provincial Director Manuel B. Wong and DSWD Regional Director Marcelo Nicomedes J. Castillo shook hands with the C4TP scholars as they awarded the vouchers. After the C4TP program, the Secretary with Congressman Bataoil and Vice Governor Calimlim walked to the newly-renovated Capitol Resort where the local media waited for the Press Conference. The local print and broadcast journalists took turns in ask-ing questions regarding the C4TP. Sec. Villanueva spontaneously

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Corners of my Mind

CENON M. QUERUBIN

EDITORIAL BOARD

RD CENON M. QUERUBIN

PD MARISSA T. ALCANTARAPD FELISA A. CARAG

OIC-PD JOEL M. PILOTINPD MANUEL B. WONG

Editorial Consultants

BARBARA JANE R. PABLICOEditor

GLENN L. CACANINDINLayout Artist

GODFREY B. JUSTO MA. CARMELA J. MARQUEZ

SHIREY S. PASCUAARTEMIO S. PULIDOEVELYN C. RAMOS

Contributors

The TESDA Chronicle is the official quarterly publication of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Region 1.

For contributions, comments and suggestions, get in touch with:The TESDA Chronicle c/o TESDA Regional Office I

Catbangen, San Fernando City, La UnionPhone No. (072) 700-1136, (072) 242-7584, (072) 719-1700

Fax: (072) 700-0613E-mail: tesdaregion01@yahoo.com

TESD in K to 12 The legislation of the K to 12 model in our educational system placed Technical Edu-cation and Skills Development

(TESD) on broader grounds. In essence, TESD would be “one of the tracks to be included during the latter years of the secondary level, particularly in the 11th and 12th years, allowing students to explore their potentials in hands-on skills-based training as an option for future career development,” (TESDA Secre-tary Joel Villanueva in Technical and vocational education eyed under K+12 by Pinoy Henyo, www.magandangideya.com.) With the implementation of the K-12 model, TESD is slowly taking higher heights along with the institutionaliza-tion of the Philippine Qualification Framework (PQF) which radically changes the landscape of education from basic, voc tech up to tertiary education. “TVET will play a central role in the new education model that prepares students for tertiary education, middle skills development, employment and entrepreneurship,” Sec. Villanueva is quoted as say-ing. (TESDA: New tech-voc curriculum for K to 12 in place, www.tesda.gov.ph, 15May20130) In Region I, we pulled up our sleeves as early

as last year to train a number of future tech-voc train-ers for Grades 11 and 12 from the technical-vocational high schools of the Department of Education (DepEd). We have also tested out STVEP graduating students from pilot specialized techvoc public secondary schools under the National Competency Assessment and Certification (NATCAC) program of TESDA. At the outset, our contributions will make way for the development equivalencies which provide ac-cess to qualifications where people can easily and readily move between and among the different levels of education and consequently, these education sec-tors open up pathways into the labor market. All these and more, we put our best foot for-ward to support the successful implementation of the K to 12 model for it means vocationalizing our edu-cational system as we continue to be guided by Sec. Villanueva’s slogan, “Sa TESDA may choice ka!”

TESDA Chronicle and the social media

Facebook. Twitter. Four Square. Multiply. Tumblr. MySpace. Google Plus. The list goes on. Social media has indeed come of age. It continues to grow rapidly and offer people more ways than one to en-gage with people and events that matter to them. Social networking has become a global phenomenon. Accept that. While social media has somehow made the TESDA Chronicle look like a good old-fashioned medium to reach out to people, we continue to publish issues of the news-letter this year. For one, we are now moving into our 6th year. That puts sentimental reasons for its continuance. Our relatively new Regional Director Cenon M. Queru-bin also places premium confidence on the newsletter as an effective medium to inform our readers of TESDA ONE’s activities and accomplishments under his leader-ship. We continue to believe that the TESDA Chronicle pro-vides our valued clients a great content where they learn more about technical education and skills development. Social media or not, TESDA Chronicle continues on. Accept that.

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TESDA ONE shapes 2013 work and financial plan

`TESDA ONE officials, TTI administrators, senior staff and plan-ning point persons took the road up to Sagada, Mt. Province on January 16, 2013 for a two-day work and financial planning workshop that would set TESD directions for 2013.

TESDA joins Ilocos Norte, Laoag City job fair To boost employment facili-tation in the province, the Provincial Public Employment Service Office of Ilocos Norte and the City Government of Laoag together with the Department of Labor and Employment, TESDA and other partner agencies conducted a joint jobs fair last February. Over 1,000 jobs were available for overseas placement while local em-ployment opportunities had over 2,000 jobs to grab. Fresh and unemployed gradu-ates of different degree courses and technical vocational courses and even high school graduates lined up at differ-ent local companies and overseas place-ment booths with job orders in the field of cyber services like Business Process

construction, banking and finance, sales and other in de-mand jobs. In the list for job po-sitions abroad included metal fabricators, welders, machin-ist, electricians, foreman, supervisory andin all trade qualifications, managerial positions, nurses, health care providers and other hospital staffs. Other local companies needing immediate workers

The Accountants/Bookkeepers/Financial Analysts of all units of TESDA ONE including those from TESDA schools were also in Sa-gada to conduct their own workshop on Financial Transaction Reconciliation.

Dubbed as “Gandat ti TESDA” (which means “The purpose of TESDA”), the activity was a meeting of minds as to where, how and what TESD in Re-gion I would take for the year. Donned in thick jackets, bonnets and mufflers, TESDA ONE staff worked with the WFP as

hired on-the-spot those applicants who met the required qualifications. TESDA plays the role of prepar-ing labor workers into becoming a glob-ally competent workforce.

The joint job fair was organized in celebration of Ilocos Norte’s 195th founding anniversary and Laoag City’s 17th Pamulinawen Festival.

A Fellowship night was held as a Teambuilding Exercise for the whole group. They were also up and about at 5:00 in the morning for a chance to watch the sun rise and eat breakfast of local delicacies, “pinikpikan” and “etag” courtesy of Sagada Mayor Eduardo D. Latawan. Before his political career, Mayor Latawan was a practicing Engi-neer who won the contract for the Cen-TEx Building in Marcos Agro-Industrial School (MAIS) of TESDA Region I.

Fire out on Hearts’ Day Valentine’s Day in TESDA ONE technically looses fire as the staff of TESDA Regional Office and La Union Provincial Office took turns in learning to use the Portable First Aide Fire Fighting Appliance (PFAFFA, popularly known as the Fire Extinguisher) to put off fire during the fire drill conducted at the TESDA ONE Compound. A group of five Fire Fighters and a trainee from the Bureau of Fire Protection headed by SFO4 Amante N. Castillo provided the staff education and awareness on Fire Prevention, disaster preparedness and risk reduction. They also facilitated the simulation activity and guided the staff in coming up with TESDA ONE Emergency Response Team. The Regional Training Center (RTC) which is also located within the compound regu-larly conducts its own fire drill along with the trainees.

guided by 2013 Planning Parameters set by TESDA Central. Workshop outputs were deliberated towards the end of the session. The Office Performance Com-mitment and Review (OPCR) was then developed and eventually, submitted to the Central Office.

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Photo Gallery

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Photo Gallery

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TESDA PSAT classrooms get a facelift

The Pangasinan School of Arts and Trades (PSAT), a TESDA school in Lin-gayen, Pangasinan, has recently unveiled its newly-renovated classrooms which now houses qualifications in Hairdressing NC II, Front Office Services NC II, Computer Hardware Servicing NC II, Bread and Pas-try Production NC II and Food and Bever-age Services NC II. Regional Director Cenon M. Querubin, Pangasinan Provincial Direc-tor Manuel B. Wong, PSAT Superinten-dent Clemencia T. Ibarra and staff as well as other TESDA officials witnessed the blessing of the classrooms. Located right after the entry gate of the school campus, the reconstruction of the facilities became possible with the savings from the Sariling Sikap Program (SSP) fund. The renovation is hoped to bring in higher enrolment for PSAT and inspire the trainees to become globally-competent workers in the labor market.

Team RTC trains DAR beneficiaries In support to the development initiatives of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in the region, the Regional Training Center (RTC), TESDA Region I trained farmer-beneficiaries and officials and members of the Agrarian Reform Business Organizations (ARBOs) includ-ing focal persons of the provincial and re-gional offices of DAR Region I on Facility Maintenance Management on March 13-15, 2013 at Brentwood Apartelle, Baguio City. The program aimed to equip the participants with comprehensive knowledge, skills, and proper work values and orientation in the management and maintenance of common service facilities (CSFs) towards a more en-hanced agricultural productivity and farm-ing efficiency.

The preparation of operational procedure, housekeeping and equipment maintenance schedules and inspection checklists, waste segregation list, tag-out index card, and breakdown/repair report were among the major outputs accomplished by the par-ticipants. RTC Chief Artemio S. Pulido the lead trainer-facilitator of the course pre-sented ways to implement maintenance management followed with corresponding workshops. RTC trainer-facilitators Evelyn Cacho-Ramos and Kristoffer John G. Am-bueguia also gave their respective lectures and assisted in the processing of group ac-tivities. With this learning experience in the three-day training-seminar, Regional Director Felicidad V. Dumaguing and DAR Region I workforce are assured of a suc-cessful ARCESS program implementation, increased incomes and enhanced self-confi-dence among agrarian reform beneficiaries.

The CSFs involved in the work-shops for management and maintenance were WD tractors, threshers, hand tractors, reapers, flatbed dryer, moisture meters, shellers, combine harvesters, and water pumps and other farm equipment and implements grant-ed to deserving ARBOs and cooperatives.

a r c h e s o n As a way of advocating TESD and showing commitment to social func-tions, TESDA ONE joined parades and wellness programs organized by partner entities.

m

March 8 was Women’s Day Walk to all female employees city-wide over. All female TESDA employees in San Fernando City, La Union participated in the one-hour walk that started at the City Plaza and ended at the covered court of the Commis-sion on Audit at the Government Center. Bannering the theme, “KABABAIHAN:

Gabay sa Paghatak sa Tuwid na Daan,” the whole day affair culminated with a sympo-sium on the Rights of Women and Children. The DOLE and affiliates like POEA, OWWA, NCMB, NLRC, RTWPB and TESDA came together at TESDA Compound on March 15, 2013 for the 2nd Wellness Program of the DOLE-Regional Coordinating Council. DOLE Regional Director Grace Y. Ursua and TESDA Re-gional Director Cenon M. Querubin game-fully joined in the Hataw Dance Exercise

led by the staff of TESDA Luciano Mil-lan Memorial School of Arts and Trades (LMMSAT). A game on the fastest to complete an obstacle course came after the Hataw. After a few-minute rest to catch up with breaths and a gorge on a healthy snack on potluck, the participants queued for Blood Sugar Testing and afterwards listened to a lecture on the management of diabetes. TESDA Region I has always been a regular during the Civic and Military Parade in celebration of the City Fiesta of San Fernando in La Union. In blue shirts with print, “Sa TESDA, may choice ka” and khaki pants with colorful balloons this year, the staff of TESDA Regional Office, La Union Provincial Office and the Regional Training Center paraded through the crowds. As his first time to experience San Fernando City Fi-esta, Director Cenon M. Querubin com-pleted the walk along the identified route.

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Monette Lixiel C. Mislang continues to spread her wings to making dreams come true If we are going to look for someone who definitely fits the description of not ever resting on her laurels, Monette Lixiel C. Mislang will pass through with flying colors.

Pangasinan School of Arts and Trades, she pursued a degree in Bachelor of Sec-ondary Education, Major in Home Man-agement and Technology at the Pangasi-nan State University and has also earned 42 units in Master of Arts in Education. Mislang currently holds a Teach-er I position at the Mangaldan National High School since 2010. She may have already accomplished a of lot things in life but still, she continues spreading her wings by enrolling in Commercial Cooking at TESDA-PSAT which makes her adviser, Isabel Estigoy so proud of her as she sees her passion for learning. They say that learning is a life-long journey, and the road to learning is not always that easy, for there would be smooth roads, rough roads, highs and

NANDING: BEHIND THE OBVIOUS Mr. Fernando Z. Beltran, a man whose strength is social network-ing with TVET stakeholders (LGUs, TVIs, NGAs, NGOs, industry partners, community-based trainers and trainees), joined our Creator on March 16, 2013. Nanding, as he is called by many, was a big asset of TESDA Ilocos Norte Provincial Office. He has estab-lished a strong linkage with external partners that contributed to the attain-ment of yearly targets of the office. Born on March 23, 1960 at Camalaniugan, Cagayan, he is the youngest son of Mr. Alipio Beltran and Ms. Felipa Zamora. His father, a carpenter provided the means for him and his four siblings. At the age of 5, he first experienced life’s struggles when his mother died. He took over his mother’s responsibilities, doing practically all the household chores. Life then was hard as he was forced to stop schooling for three years after elementary. For want to finish high school, he had to live with relatives who supported his high school education. In 1980, he went to Laoag City with the help of his niece who is also a best friend. They promised support for each other in attaining their goals and dreams in life. He studied B.S. in Com-merce major in Accounting at Divine Word College of Laoag. He took his graduate studies

Gorgeous women from differ-ent government and non-government organizations (NGOs) including TESDA staff and scholars gracefully walked at the streets of Laoag City, as they participated in the parade that kicked-off the Women’s Day celebration dubbed as “Rampang Ganda, Kinni-Kinni Parade”. Kinni-kinni is a local description for gracious walking (“Pakembot-kembot” in Tagalog term). Various activities were also set as part of the merriment. A ‘Buntis Congress’ was initiated as a venue to encourage and advice pregnant mothers on the “Do’s and Don’ts of Pregnancies”, and the proper maternal and pre-natal care.Other activi-ties included medical missions with free medicine distribution and blood-typing, poster slogan contest and a pageant for pregnant women that crowned the winner as ‘buntis queen’. The celebration was in line with the province’s dedication to promote equal protection of rights and gender equality for the advancement and empowerment of women. This year’s theme, “Women’s In-spiring Innovation through Imagination”, is total representation of the province’s support to the nation’s commitment in the Millenium Development Goal to advocate women’s right, gender equality and health awareness.

afterward at Nor thwestern University ob-taining his Mas-ter of Arts in Public Adminis-tration in 1999. Having finished Accounting, he started to work as a bookkeeper in pri-vate firms and entered the government in late 1987 at the Department of Environ-ment and Natural Resources (DENR). In June 16, 2000, he started his career at TESDA Ilocos Norte Provincial Office as a Financial Analyst II and was promoted to being the TESD Specialist II in 2003. He was the perfect husband to Ms. Cecilia Mandac-Beltran. They are blessed with three intelligent and hand-some boys. Despite his being a discipli-narian, he has inculcated good values to his children. He was so proud to share that Renz and Brent finished their col-lege degrees with flying colors, as they were both Cum Laude from Northwest-ern University. His youngest, Kent, is an incoming secondary freshman student or Grade 7 this coming school year. Nand-ing shall always be remembered with his accomplishments as a good government employee, a good family man, a good friend, a good partner and a man whose singing prowess showed how he found happiness in simple pleasures of life.

Born in Magtaquing, Bugallon, Pangasi-nan on the 6th of April 1983, the 29 year old lass has indeed proven that learning is a continuous process and definitely a rewarding experience. Spending her young years in Magtaquing Elemen-tary School and being an alumna of the

lows, but having the heart to learn can really take someone to greater heights. One’s passion for learning then becomes the key to making dreams come true.

Ilocanas celebrate “Kinni-Kinni”

Festival

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Michael learns to craft From my youngest years, ‘til this moment here… I’ve never been busy like this before…”, hums Mike to the tune of “Paint My Love” by a famous for-eign boy band while finishing all his job requests for the day in his shop… Michael Cacanindin, or simply Mike has more to life than anyone can see him. He is never idle and very thorough in his work. His limitless energy prompts him to achieve above and beyond what one can ever expect of a man. A simple guy who grew-up in a distant baran-gay of San Simon East, Aringay, La Union, Mike always dreamt of becoming a manager of his own business. Inspired by successful business people in town and with the ideals of his father who is also a machinist and shop owner, he told himself, “By sheer hardwork and

With the expansion of the shop is his decision to stay for good in the Philippines. Pleased with the services of the shop, customers, who are mostly farmers and drivers, remain loyal. With Mike, they are assured of well-repaired and maintained backhoes, motors, tractors and other farm and heavy equip-ments. He also accepts contractual job requests from promi-nent builders and suppliers of construction supplies and ma-terials in the whole of Region I. A father of four, the 36 year-old machinist-welder continuously pursues his goals in life not only to satisfy his childhood dream but most especially now to provide his family a good life. Mike continuously attempts to im-prove his business while endlessly learning what might be considered necessary in order to succeed. He believes that doing the best he can in a cheerful perspective is his guid-ing principle to learn his craft as a skilled worker, and an efficient business manager. “Thanks to TESDA, I cannot be this capable and secured without the knowledge, skills and positive attitude they taught me…”, Mike sincerely claimed. He said that “to be a blue-collar worker does not mean to be a low-income earner. Let us prove to people that TESDA graduates who are typically misjudged as mere middle-level skilled-workers are of high quality work val-ues and world class competence that may also keep the cash register continuously ringing. Just as the youth are the hope of the country, we are the hope of the economy. Just don’t give up, try your luck and always pray to God.” He also added that “since TESDA came into my life, everything has changed….” to the finale of his song.

determination… I will be one of them, too, someday…” After graduating from high school at the Norte Dame Institute of Aringay in 1994, he enrolled in General Machine Shop at the Regional Training Center, TESDA Region I. He was mocked in the neighborhood for his decision to take-up a technical-vocational course. But he was by no means discour-aged. Instead, he focused on furthering his learning and improv-ing his craft. Mike stood proud as he immediately got employed at the Arzadon Machine Shop in San Fernando City, La Union subsequent to finishing the six-month skills training at TESDA. While at Arzadon, Mike showed dedication and com-mitment to his work and often performs outside his normal assignments, doing everything to get the job done. His willing-ness to take on additional responsibilities enabled him to make significant contributions to the company. In return, the experi-ence and exposure that he got from the firm made him more competent and confident in his craft. Despite being comfortable with work in Arzadon, his dream of putting up his own machine shop never faded. Trust-ing his capabilities and potentials, he decided to open MJ Ma-chine Shop, naming the shop after his son Michael Jay. Like most successful businessmen, Mike did not do well on his first try in the business. But he never gave up. He continuously enhanced his skills and learned more strategies in managing a successful enterprise. To build investment capital for his business, he left his shop and worked as a payloader oper-ator in Abaza Group, Qatar in 2009 where he earned 3,500QAR (Qatari Riyals) a month inclusive of overtime pay. In two years, he was able to save sufficient funds which he used to acquire additional units of lathe machine and welding equipment.