SENATORS Joel Villanueva and Sherwin Gatchalian have called on the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to fully implement the Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) Law and reform its scholarship programs during Senate deliberations on the agency’s proposed 2027 budget.

Gatchalian raised concern over a 51% drop in EBET enrollment, from 126,000 learners in 2024 to 61,000 in 2025, despite the enactment of Republic Act No. 12063.

He noted that enterprise-based training has historically produced an employment rate of 85% to 90%.

TESDA Secretary Francisco Benitez attributed the decline to the transition to the new EBET framework and said the agency aims to increase EBET’s share of its scholarship portfolio from about 12% to 30% to 40%, with an initial target of at least 18%.

Lawmakers also pointed to uneven industry participation, with only 490 registered EBET implementers nationwide from January to May 2026. Region III recorded the highest number of implementers, while Region VI had only six and Region XIII had none.

TESDA said it is streamlining administrative requirements and plans to launch a digital EBET one-stop shop by the fourth quarter of 2026. The agency also said additional funding is needed to help micro and small enterprises develop workplace training programs.

Villanueva also proposed creating a separate budget item for EBET, arguing that the Tulong-Trabaho Fund should not remain its sole source of financing.

Beyond EBET, senators urged TESDA to overhaul its scholarship system, citing concerns over beneficiary targeting, fragmented information systems, political influence and declining fund utilization.

TESDA’s scholarship obligation rate fell from 87.8% in 2023 to 68% in 2025, prompting lawmakers to seek a catch-up plan and stronger tracking of graduates’ employment outcomes.

TESDA reported an overall 81.64% employment rate among TVET graduates and said it is improving its monitoring system through the Skills Passport and data-sharing with the Philippine Statistics Authority and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.