'WHAT A WASTE': Zubiri laments TESDA training centers in Bukidnon turned into warehouses, goat pens

Senator Migz Zubiri called out the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) on Tuesday over reports reaching his office that some of its training centers in Bukidnon have been turned into mere storage facilities and animal shelters.

There are 18 TESDA training centers across Bukidnon, making it the first “tech-voc province of the nation,” according to Zubiri.

The Bukidnon lawmaker said these training centers were built under his initiative to boost education and training programs, which are the primary drivers of poverty in the province, only to discover that some are not being used for their intended purpose.

“Mr. Secretary, the reports are that many of these TESDA training centers here are being used by LGUs (local government units) as goat pens. They have essentially been turned into multi-purpose buildings, storage areas, or warehouses,” Zuri said in Filipino as the Senate finance committee scrutinized the P20.9 billion proposed budget of TESDA for 2027.

“It’s such a waste. Why did it turn out that way? We really wanted to help our constituents there through TESDA training, yet these [facilities] are not being fully utilized,” he lamented.

The training centers reportedly have laboratory spaces and classrooms, enabling them to host training sessions for scholars in need.

TESDA intends to help Filipinos through technical-vocational education and training, free scholarships, and skills certifications.

If not addressed immediately, Zubiri warned that the centers could become mere storage areas for ballot boxes for the Commission on Elections, despite the facilities' significant potential to deliver meaningful programs.

"I even said that I'm willing to fund these programs so that these projects don't just become white elephants. But does it always have to be who funds them? What if I’m no longer there? [In] 2028, I'm no longer there, [and] they could end up being nothing but warehouses,” he stressed.

TESDA Secretary Kiko Benitez attributed it to the “lack of stable personnel on the provincial level to execute it properly.”

Benitez claimed that there are ongoing efforts to beef up creative industries and community-based initiatives “to make full use of the municipal training centers that you have actually built.”

Similarly, TESDA Deputy Director General for TESD Operations Vidal Villanueva III said, “To be honest, the goats are no longer in the facilities. In fact, they already prepared the facilities for the registration of programs.”

TESDA’s projected budget for next year saw a significant drop from the P26.05 billion allocation it received this year.

Originally, TESDA asked for nearly P39 billion for 2027, but the Department of Budget and Management approved only P20.9 billion.

Benitez lamented that the funding fell significantly short of meeting TESDA’s needs and demands.

Senator Erwin Tulfo, however, argued that the budget cut could be attributed to TESDA’s low spending performance, citing a 68 percent obligation rate and a 45.2 percent disbursement rate in 2025.

He contended that the Senate should not restore TESDA’s allocation unless the agency fully utilized the budget and addressed the budget concerns flagged by the Commission on Audit, including, among others, millions worth of scholarships granted to learners with “doubtful eligibility.”