Cordillera school to operate soon

BAGUIO CITY — Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Cordillera Acting Regional Director Manuel Wong announced that the Cordillera State Institute of Technical Education (CSITE) is nearing operation with the submission of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) before the end of August and budgetary requirements next month.

CSITE is a product of a legislation purposedly for establishing such institutions. Baguio Lone District Representative and Chair of the committee on Technical and Higher Education Marquez Go earlier filed House Bill 7264 for an act creating the state institution and integrating TESDA, regional training centers and state-run tech-voc institutions with national funding.

Go has an agreement with TESDA Director-General Isidro de la Peña, and other top officials to finalize the IRR for submission to the central office before 20 August. After review and approval of the IRR, the documents are due at the Department of Budget and Management for manpower funding, with target date by the end of September, Wong intimated.

TESDA has provincial centers in Abra, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province with technical schools in the Baguio-Benguet area and Apayao, which has school and community-based programs. Presently TESDA programs are encouraged for high school completers, Out-of School youths, employable adults and even college graduates needing additional skills trainings. Qualified for scholarships are Filipino citizens, 15 to 18 years of age, and willing to be trained for knowledge and skills in a school-laboratory setting.

The TESDA offers short term courses with one trainors upgrading program, all tourism related, one three-year diploma program in hotel administration and supervision and one diploma program in culinary arts.