SENATOR Nancy Binay on Monday asked Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director General Isidro Lapeña to step up preparations for the conduct of face-to-face training in 2022.

During a hybrid hearing on the proposed 2022 budget of TESDA, Binay said the agency should show the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases that it is Covid compliant and is ready to conduct more face-to-face training next year.

Binay said most of TESDA’s programs need to be done physically.

“It would be difficult for TESDA not to have face-to-face training. Like for example teaching students to use a welding machine without being able to physically handle one,” she said.

Lapeña told the committee that systems are already in place for the conduct of physical training.

In fact, IATF-EID already allowed TESDA to conduct face-to-face training at 50 percent capacity during the general community quarantine period.

Lapeña said that 96.6 percent of employees in the central office and 77.81 percent of employees in the regional and provincial offices have been fully vaccinated.