As private sector representative of the Regional Development Council XII and active CSO partner of MinDA in Mindanao, Mahintana Foundation, Inc., participated in the Consultative Workshop on Mindanao Social Development Program Strategy and Poverty Reduction on February 11-12, 2019 at The Waterfront Insular Hotel, Davao City. Mr. Jobe C. Tubigon, Program Manager, represented Mahintana during the 2-day activity. The activity was aimed at enhancing the draft concept and ensuring a more inclusive and responsive intervention for the crafting of a Program Strategy on Mindanao Social Development and Poverty Reduction anchored on the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 and the Mindanao 2030. At least 50 key representatives from the donor agencies (i.e. World Bank), national government agencies, local government units, academe, civil society organizations and business/private sector participated in the event.
During panel presentation on Education, Training, and Employment Policies, Programs and Priorities in Mindanao, Director Dominique Rubia-Tutay of DOLE-Bureau of Local Employment shared the JobsFit 2022 Labor Market Information Report enumerating the industries that will create jobs in and skills need for the future. OIC Deputy Director General Gaspar S. Gayona of TESDA shared TESDA’s directions and responses on skills development. He emphasized the importance of “AGILITY” for TVET for Global Competitiveness, “SCALABILITY” for TVET for Job-Readiness, and “FLEXIBILITY and SUSTAINABILITY” for TVET for Social Equity. On Education Policies for Mindanao, Ms. Takiko Igarashi, Education Specialist, World Bank Manila, shared the opportunities for Mindanao’s education. She said that education has great promise, but too often it does not deliver. Mr. Pablo Acosta, Senior Economist, World Bank Manila, shared World Bank’s policy priorities for employment programs. Dr. Nilo B. Oponda, Ph.D. UP Mindanao, shared UP’s views on how to strengthen Industry-Academe Partnership on Workforce Development. He stressed that job-skill mismatch is one of the top 3 concerns of employers. He cited the reasons and solutions to the said problem. Executive Director Rolando Torres, Mindanao Business Council, shared some recommendations for the Industry – Academe Areas for Possible Intensified Cooperation. One of which is the Local Entrepreneurship in Curriculum – upscaling of entrepreneurial know-how, cross-skilling thru trainings and short courses on other trades, developing Enterprising Professionals, and development coping mechanisms to sustain businesses.
After the panel presentation, Mr. Tubigon participated in the workshop on Workforce Protection and Welfare (Social Protection). He suggested to MinDA and the concerned line agencies such as SEC, NBI, and DOLE to look into the emerging investment schemes in the Region that offered quick returns but have compromised/affected the skill labor requirements of agro-industrial industries and service sector
