CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority’s limited number of accredited assessment centers have created a backlog of departing Overseas Filipino Workers applying for National Competency certificates, one of the requirements needed to qualify and be hired abroad.
In Pampanga alone, over 1,500 domestic workers applicants have been placed on a waiting list due to the limited number of government assessment centers in the province, said lawyer Eric Euda, TESDA’s Provincial Director.
“Last I checked, there were more than 1,500 applicants waiting for schedule for National Competency Certificates 2 (NC2) for domestic workers in Pampanga alone, and these applicants and mostly residents come from nearby Metro Manila areas,” said Euda.
He said NC2 certificates cannot be secured easily, as applicants have to undergo assessment tests, which they must not fail, or else they will take reassessment to qualify for the certificate.
The coronavirus lockdowns in the past months in the National Capital Region (NCR), Euda said, sent NC2 certificate applicants straight to Pampanga.
“TESDA Pampanga was swamped by NC2 certificates applicants. We cannot accommodate the huge number with only limited assessment centers.” Euda pointed out.
Lawyer Balmyrson Valdez, regional director of TESDA Central Luzon, said the influx of NC2 certificates applicants is being addressed to accommodate the big number of domestic workers and OFWs.
“TESDA regional office will be opening several assessments centers to address this problem. This is just temporary due to the effect of the NCR-Plus bubble last month,” said Valdez.
He said the primary function of TESDA is to certify skilled workers before deploying them overseas.
“We cannot afford to give NC2 certificates to applicants if they don’t deserve them. That is why TESDA give them assessment tests,” he said.
“Disadvantage on the part of domestic workers if they will be deployed without passing the assessment tests kasi hindi nila alam kung paano ang trabaho at mabibigyan tayo ng pangit na image,” Valdez explained.
There were irregularities in past where a private assessment center released NC2 certificates in exchange for a hefty sum of money, he said, adding: “The practice reached my office and TESDA immediately closed the center.”
Valdez said there were instances where applicants easily secured NC3 certificate from a private assessment center and after investigation TESDA padlocked the center.
“We have placed under red flag those applicants who wanted easy way of securing NC2 certificate. Kasi pag deployment abroad, hindi alam ng domestic workers kung paano mag react o gawin ang trabaho,” he said.
Employers abroad, Valdez said, expect OFWs sent abroad to be competent. This is why OFWs especially domestic workers have to undergo proper training and must pass the assessment test, he said.
“We have to balance the safety and competency. We must not rush the deployment of domestic workers. Kailangan prepared lahat before deployment,” said Valdez.