19/08/2026
TESDA brings World Café of Opportunities to Mountain Province
BONTOC — The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Cordillera Administrative Region brought the World Café of Opportunities (WCO) closer to communities in Mountain Province as part of the celebration of TESDA’s 32nd anniversary and National Tech-Voc Day at the Governor Leonard G. Mayaen Sports Complex in Bontoc today, August 19, 2026.
The activity brought together job seekers, skills training participants, employers, recruitment agencies, and partner organizations to provide employment, training, and livelihood opportunities.
During the program, Executive Assistant Ernesto B. Bondad, who represented Governor Bonifacio C. Lacwasan Jr., conveyed the Provincial Government’s appreciation to TESDA and its partner organizations for opening opportunities for employment and skills development.
“On behalf of the Provincial Governor, I want to express his commendation and gratitude to TESDA, to all organizations and partners for opening doors, for creating opportunities. Employment nowadays is rising in our country and overseas. However, it’s not easy to be employed nowadays without the necessary skills and capacity, and it is only through the efforts and sacrifices of TESDA that you can gain your skills and that you will be able to achieve your dreams of employment locally or abroad,” Bondad said.
“To the participants of this event, move forward with dedication, discipline, and responsibility. With this, you will be able to reach your goals and objectives in life,” he added.
In his message, TESDA Provincial Director Felixberto B. Matute Jr. said the concept of the WCO is centered on creating a space where people can share ideas, ask questions, listen to one another, and discover opportunities.
He also explained that skills training can open doors to employment, provide a foundation for livelihood, support existing businesses, give workers better opportunities, and help families achieve a more secure future.
Furthermore, Matute said that skills training becomes more meaningful when it is connected to actual employment and livelihood opportunities. Through the WCO, TESDA, its partners, and stakeholders provide participants with information on the skills needed for various jobs and guidance on where and how they can apply.
Meanwhile, Political Affairs Officer Erlindo E. Agwilang, Jr., representing Congressman Maximo Y. Dalog Jr., said the continuing collaboration among TESDA, technical-vocational institutions, training centers, and other stakeholders is giving people in the province opportunities to improve their lives.
“Thousands of people in our province are being given a fair chance at a better life as a result of this ongoing collaboration, including young people who are not in school, displaced workers, mothers and fathers seeking additional income, and breadwinners looking for better opportunities here and even overseas,” Agwilang said.
Meanwhile, the job fair component of the WCO is concurrently being held at the Mayaen Sports Center, with various establishments and organizations currently offering employment, training, and livelihood-related opportunities. These include SM Supermarket Baguio, Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company, Saint Rosalia International Recruitment Agency, Altima Manpower Agency, Northland Technical Institute, Inc., Salt and Pepper Agricultural Learning Center, Inc., Pots and Pans Café, Rose Ann’s Loom Art Gallery, and MP Lounge and Aesthetic Center, Inc.
