Today, January 27, 2026, marks a pivotal moment for the Philippine labor market as TESDA, DepEd, and CHED successfully convened the 2nd Joint Education Trifocal Management Committee (JETMC). Building on the historic inaugural conference held in Clark in October 2025, the three agencies have now finalized a “whole-of-education” plan designed to eliminate the gaps between the classroom and the jobsite.
One Linked System: From School to Work
The centerpiece of this reform is the institutionalization of permanent working groups to drive long-term workforce quality. By aligning credentials, credits, and assessments, the agencies ensure a seamless transition: SHS straight to TVET, College, or Employment.
This unified system allows Filipino learners to move forward without “back-to-zero” repetitions. Whether a student chooses the technical-vocational path or a professional degree, their credits are now part of a single, recognized ecosystem.
The 10 Priority Working Groups (PWGs)
To ensure every aspect of the reform is actionable, the JETMC has established ten dedicated teams to drive education and workforce reforms:
- Early Childhood Education
- Senior High School & Pathways (The “Tech-Voc” bridge)
- Inclusive Education (Ensuring accessibility)
- Functional Literacy & Learning Recovery
- Workforce Development (Directly serving the construction & energy sectors)
- Tertiary Education Scholarships
- Teacher Education & Professionalization
- Creative Economy (Arts & Culture)
- Strategic Communications
- Legislative & Policy Alignment
From Plans to Action: What Builders Can Expect
For the construction industry, these PWGs will deliver tangible results in 2026:
- Aligned Programs: SHS, TVET, and college programs are now synchronized to meet labor market realities.
- TechPro Courses: Development and quality assurance of SHS “TechPro” courses that are 100% aligned with TESDA Training Regulations (TRs).
- Coordinated Scholarships: Unified financial support across agencies for technical training, ensuring that SPED, ECCD, and literacy programs are integrated.
- Integrated Policy: Joint education policies and budget proposals to ensure the “Construction Boom” never runs out of skilled, “future-ready” hands.
The “Training to Trabaho” roadmap is the government’s answer to the construction industry’s call for help. As digitalization and AI heighten the urgency for world-class competencies, this “Trifocal” alignment ensures that Filipino builders are not just equipped for today’s projects, but for the evolving demands of the global market.
By consolidating their mandates, TESDA, DepEd, and CHED are finally moving from plans to action, creating a more coherent, inclusive, and future-ready Philippine education system.
