SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian vowed that the 2026 education budget will put greater emphasis on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to better prepare Filipinos for jobs in the 21st-century workplace.

“The education budget we aim to craft for 2026 will cover Technical and Vocational Education and Training to drive meaningful reforms that address the jobs-skills mismatch, improve assessment and certification rates for our learners, and accelerate the digitalization of the TVET sector,” Gatchalian said.

He underscored the importance of strengthening the sector to empower the youth and their families.

“By strengthening TVET, we aim to build brighter futures for more young people and their families,” he added.

As chair of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Gatchalian has long pushed for stronger government support for skills training programs to ensure graduates are equipped with industry-relevant skills that match labor market needs.