By Ma. Cristina Arayata
MANILA – The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has condemned the reported violations on its apprenticeship program and is working with the Department of Labor and Employment to address it.
In a statement on Monday night, TESDA Secretary Jose Francisco Benitez said the agency condemns any misuse of the program and is deeply concerned about the allegations against enterprises, particularly JBC Food Corporation.
“The unauthorized use of our program’s name to justify paying workers below the minimum wage is unacceptable and contrary to our mandate of promoting fair and ethical skills development,” TESDA Secretary Jose Francisco Benitez said.
The statement was issued after Senator Raffy Tulfo, in a privilege speech on Monday, disclosed that many factories are using TESDA’s apprenticeship program to pay workers just 75 percent of the minimum wage.
Tulfo said the apprenticeship program is for those requiring highly technical skills, hard-to-fill jobs, and emerging skills, but some trainees were tasked to pack junk foods and sell underwear.
In an interview Tuesday, TESDA Partnerships and Linkages Office (PLO) director Floramel Joy Songsong said their regional director for the National Capital Region has confirmed that “JBC Food Corporation has no registered program for Apprenticeship.”
“Their last application was in 2004 but (they) did not pursue,” she told the Philippine News Agency.
Songsong explained that the apprenticeship program, whether based on the old or new framework, entitles the apprentices to 75 percent of the minimum wage as training allowance, not as salary.
As for companies selling underwear, Songsong said such companies were considered apprenticeable but only under the old framework.
Enterprises interested in taking part in TESDA’s apprenticeship program need to meet the documentary requirement as well as provide a training plan to be approved by TESDA before these can be issued a registration certificate, which will be used as proof to avail of the tax incentives provided under the law. (PNA)
