PASAY CITY – The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to further strengthen the Philippine workforce in response to the dynamic needs of a rapidly-evolving economy.
PEZA Director General Tereso O. Panga and TESDA Director General Secretary Jose Francisco B. Benitez led the ceremonial signing last 22 January 2025 held at the PEZA Head Office. The event was witnessed by officials from both agencies and representatives from PEZA-registered locator companies.
This collaboration combines the expertise of PEZA and TESDA to better align skills training with industry demands, fostering a globally competitive workforce that will drive economic growth and attract investments. A particular focus of the partnership is skills development and job matching, including integrating Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) into the local labor market.
PEZA Director General Panga emphasized the value of collaboration, recognizing Filipino workers as one of the Philippines’ greatest assets. “Our workers, including Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), are highly sought after worldwide. This partnership with TESDA ensures their skills align with the evolving needs of industries locally and abroad,” Panga said.
Similarly, TESDA Secretary Benitez underscored the importance of skills training in sustaining economic growth, particularly in sectors crucial to the country’s economic zones.
“This MOU addresses the need for a stronger, more capable workforce across the country,” he said, highlighting the potential of the Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) program to provide industry-focused, hands-on training for job readiness.
Bridging the Skills Gap for a Future-Ready Workforce
Through the MOU, PEZA and TESDA will administer skills surveys, customize training modules, and facilitate job matching for workers, including OFWs. They will also collaborate on developing job matching systems and industry immersion programs for TESDA trainers.
“PEZA’s success stories are rooted in our world-class, English-proficient, and highly skilled workforce,” Panga said. “Our workers’ global competitiveness continues to attract investments in manufacturing and services.”
TESDA Secretary Benitez echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the MOU’s focus on key sectors such as manufacturing, transportation, logistics, and IT-BPM. He also mentioned ongoing initiatives to develop the Philippine Skills Framework (PSF) for electronics, semiconductors, and construction, alongside efforts to enhance training programs aligned with emerging technologies and industry requirements.
“Every upskilled worker we develop brings us one step closer to a future-ready Philippine workforce, equipped to survive this ever-evolving global economy. Let us continue to bring forth the best of the Filipino and give our best to the world: ang ‘Galing ng Pilipinas, galing sa Pilipinas,’” TESDA Secretary Benitez added.
As of this writing, 1.8 million Filipinos are directly employed by locators in PEZA economic zones nationwide. Apart from workforce development, PEZA and TESDA have also collaborated on the establishment of TESDA training facilities within the ecozones offering micro-credential voc-tech courses to workers and the implementation of internship program providing professional learning experience for graduating college students by participating ecozone locators. The PEZA-TESDA partnership is expected to benefit not only workers within economic zones but also the broader Philippine economy by boosting productivity, creating more jobs, and fostering sustainable and inclusive economic growth.