Albay 3rd District Representative Joey Salceda has urged the bicameral conference committee to allocate additional funding for Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) diploma scholarships, warning that existing limits under the free college education law no longer match labor market realities or the country’s push for lifelong learning.
“The free college tuition law specifically prevents college diploma holders from availing of free diplomas from TESDA. This, of course, is contrary to the Lifelong Learning Act and prevents people from dislocated employment from availing of second chances in life,” Salceda said.
“TESDA diplomas will be crucial for national readiness for AI. I have asked if it’s possible to make even a small adjustment,” he added.
Salceda said the ban on college graduates accessing free TESDA diploma programs has become “increasingly misaligned” with the needs of the modern workforce, noting that many fast-growing industries are skills-based rather than degree-focused.
“Many of the country’s most dynamic employment generators, such as business process outsourcing, export-oriented manufacturing, hospitality, and a large share of overseas employment, do not privilege college diplomas,” he said. “They are skills-based sectors.”
He also pointed out that many higher education students are enrolled in fields where entry-level jobs are being automated or replaced by artificial intelligence, increasing the need for reskilling and second-chance education.
“In this environment, restricting access to reskilling and second-chance education increases the risk of displacement and prolonged mismatch between credentials and labor demand,” Salceda said.
Under Section 6(b)(1) of Republic Act No. 10931, or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, individuals who already hold a bachelor’s degree or have completed a technical-vocational course equivalent to at least National Certificate III are barred from availing of free technical-vocational education in state-run institutions.