THE GOVERNMENT has officially convened the Education and Workforce Development Group (EWDG) for its inaugural meeting, bringing together key agencies in a move to strengthen coordination between the country’s education and labor sectors.

The meeting gathered senior officials from major institutions, including Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Labor Undersecretary Carmela Torres, Migrant Workers Undersecretary Felicitas Bay, National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Commission on Higher Education Chairperson Shirley Agrupis, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Secretary Kiko Benitez.

The creation of the EWDG marks a major step toward a whole-of-government approach to education and workforce development, aligned with recommendations from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II).

Anchored on Administrative Order No. 36 and Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 8, the inter-agency body supports reforms outlined by EDCOM II and will serve as the main platform for policy alignment among institutions involved in education and employment.

During its first meeting, member agencies discussed priority initiatives under the 10-Year National Education and Workforce Development Plan (NEWDP), a long-term roadmap aimed at addressing the country’s learning crisis and improving school-to-work transitions.

The NEWDP is informed by EDCOM II’s report, “Turning Point: A Decade of Necessary Reform 2026–2035,” which calls for stronger integration across education subsectors and closer alignment with labor market needs.

A key highlight of the meeting was the launch of Project TAHANAN, a unified data system designed to connect databases across education agencies. The initiative seeks to streamline data sharing, improve planning, and strengthen evidence-based policymaking.

EDCOM II’s initial findings have flagged fragmented governance and siloed implementation as major barriers to reform, underscoring the need for stronger coordination mechanisms such as the EWDG.

With the rollout of the NEWDP underway, the EWDG is expected to serve as the central coordinating body for aligning policies, programs, and investments, while strengthening pathways from education to employment for Filipino learners and workers.