MANILA, Philippines — The Senate has approved the allocation of over P70 million worth of funds for the digital transformation of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Senator Win Gatchalian said Wednesday.

Under the digital transformation program, the P70 million are allocated in three projects including P40 million for the acquisition and development of an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) course builder, P20 million for the Internet of Things (IoT) training system, and P10 million for the development of an AI-powered Labor Market Information (LMI) System.

“I believe that accelerating digital transformation and the adoption of artificial intelligence is the way forward when it comes to education, including TVET. By investing in TESDA’s AI adoption and digital transformation, we hope to become more efficient in producing skilled workers that respond to the needs of our economy,” said Gatchalian, Co-Chairperson of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) in a statement.

The Senate’s final and approved version of the proposed 2025 national budget allocates P70 million to boost the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority’s (TESDA) digital transformation, Senator Win Gatchalian said.

Under the program, the AI-powered TVET course builder will speed up course development and make it more cost-efficient through automation, which minimizes the need for extensive human resources. 

According to the senator, it will reduce the time to develop and update training regulations, competency standards, competency-based curriculum, and competency assessment tools.

The course builder will also ensure that all training materials are of the highest quality, industry-aligned, and relevant to the job market. It seeks to make TVET programs more consistent through standardized course content, assessments, and competencies. 

“Also, it will enable the rapid scaling of TVET programs nationwide to meet the rising demand for skilled workers,” he said.

The IoT training system seeks to empower students with skills to operate, program, and maintain IoT devices and networks, which will help them prepare for careers in smart technology applications in industrial automation, healthcare, and agriculture, among other fields. 

The AI-powered LMI system also seeks to leverage AI to identify emerging industry needs, predict workforce shortages, and guide educational institutions in aligning training programs with market demands.