Skilled yet brave

What we need today are skilled Christians, those who will preach Christ and the message of the Gospel through their words and lives without fear.

Just like the prophet Jeremiah, who trusted in the power of God, skillfully faced the opposition to his prophetic ministry. He was intimidated by attacks on his character, but he was unafraid to speak out in the name of the Lord.

As Jesus sends his disciples to carry on his mission of preaching and healing, He asks them to live simple lives and to expect opposition and rejection. After foretelling opposition and persecution, Jesus encourages his disciples to stand firm. Three times they are urged: “Do not fear!” “Do not be afraid!”

Instead of shrinking from their task, they are to proclaim the Gospel boldly because they will be protected, just as Jeremiah was assured of God’s protection. Hence, Jesus commands his disciples not to fear their persecutors. He presents before them the image of the sparrow to reinforce the disciples’ trust and hope in God.

Meanwhile, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is accelerating its shift toward a tech-driven future by rolling out a suite of digital innovations designed to make skills training more accessible, inclusive and future-ready for Filipinos.

Under Secretary Kiko Benitez, TESDA continues to pursue reforms that include a mobile, all-in-one app for tech-voc services, expanded artificial intelligence (AI) training programs and upgrades to its online learning platform, supporting the administration’s broader push for digital transformation and workforce modernization under President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

At the core of TESDA’s digital reforms is the TESDA Skills Passport, which is receiving an upgrade through a new eKYC (electronic Know Your Customer) feature designed to streamline learner registration.

“Access is the first step to opportunity. By strengthening our digital systems like the eKYC-enabled TESDA Skills Passport and expanding e-TESDA offerings, we are removing barriers so Filipinos can immediately access training, and reskill and upskill anytime, anywhere, even without traditional requirements slowing them down,” the TESDA chief said.

The enhanced eKYC feature strengthens identity verification by allowing users to validate their identity through multiple secure options. These include matching personal information against PhilSys with a liveness check or verifying through a National ID number or QR code. It also supports alternative government-issued IDs such as passports, driver’s licenses, SSS IDs, GSIS eCards, UMID cards, postal IDs, voter IDs and PhilHealth IDs.

The upgraded system is designed to ensure that more Filipinos, especially first-time users, returning workers and those in geographically isolated areas, can immediately access training and upskilling opportunities, even while completing national digital identification requirements under PhilSys.