SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday endorsed Negros Occidental 3rd District Rep. Francisco ‘Kiko’ Benitez as the next head of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority or TESDA following the resignation of Secretary Suharto Mangudadatu.

Gatchalian said Benitez’s long experience as an educator and his stint as a legislator make him the perfect candidate to take over TESDA’s leadership.

He believes that with Benitez at TESDA’s helm, the agency can make leaps in addressing challenges in the Technical and Vocational Educational and Training sector, including the perennial issue of jobs-skills mismatch.

Benitez is one of the commissioners of the Second Congressional Commission on Education, where he also serves as a co-chairperson of the Standing Committee on Early Childhood Care and Development and Basic Education.

He was the President of the Philippine Women’s University from 2010 to 2019.

Benitez also taught at universities such as the University of Washington-Seattle, the University of Asia & the Pacific, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Cornell University.

“As a lifelong educator, a top-performing legislator, and one of the most hardworking commissioners of the EDCOM II, Congressman Kiko Benitez will give TESDA the needed leadership to foster innovation, push for needed reforms, and produce job-ready TVET graduates,” said Gatchalian, EDCOM II Co-Chairperson and Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

Should Benitez be appointed TESDA Secretary, Gatchalian vowed to support his fellow lawmaker in improving the quality of Technical and Vocational Education and Training education in the country.

Gatchalian also thanked outgoing TESDA Secretary Mangudadatu for his service to the agency.