MANILA, Philippines—The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority has allocated P2.6 billion for 157,000 scholars who would like to take up technical and vocational short courses, and skills training.

At the 2009 Productivity Olympics Kick-Off Event, Roger Peyuan, TESDA deputy director general for field operations, said the budget is good for courses between one-and-a-half months and three months like commercial cooking, welding, business process outsourcing, and aircraft maintenance.

The budget, he said, is good only until April. “If the amount is exhausted, the President has promised that she will set aside another P1 billion to P2 billion for the next set of courses after April. This is outside the GAA (General Appropriations Act),” he said.

Peyuan said overseas Filipino workers, followed by locally employed Filipinos who lost their jobs due to the global economic crisis would be given priority. He said 44,000 locally employed Filipinos whose work-hours have been reduced will also be prioritized.

Last year, 122,000 availed themselves of these TESDA scholarships, he said, adding a third were for jobs in BPOs, and the rest for welding, pipe-fitting, plumbing, carpentry, and electricity technician.

“Those who want can go to TESDA regional and provincial offices, bring their birth certificate and high school diploma so that they can avail themselves of free full scholarships,” he said.

Peyuan advised students to take vocational training, as 82 percent of last year’s job demand was for such skills.

“The demand for professionals is small,” he said.