THE TECHNICAL Education and Skills Development Authority paid its last respects to Milagros Dawa-Hernandez who served as the agency’s deputy director general for 18 years.

During a necrological service last October 6, Director General Danilo Cruz said the advancements introduced by Dawa-Hernandez brought TESDA “to new and never-before-reached heights, and these continue to support the agency’s strategic directions to this day.”

“It will be very difficult to forget our DDG Mila Dawa-Hernandez. For as long as Tesda and tech-voc continue to change and touch the lives of our kababayans, her legacy lives on,” he said.

Dawa-Hernandez died on October 1.

She was credited for many of TESDA’s programs and services, and for initiating the agency’s ISO certification.

During her term, Dawa-Hernandez focused on the development and institutionalization of policies, quality management systems and procedures to support the agency’s strategic directions.

Dawa-Hernandez started her public service career in 1975 as a supervising manpower development officer at the Cagayan Valley regional office of the then National Manpower and Youth Council, which later became TESDA.

She became the deputy director general for Policy and Planning in 1995.