THE TECHNICAL Education and Skills Development Authority warned the public against buying fake National Certificates being sold online.

The warning came following reports that a man was recently arrested in Cotabato City for selling fake NCs and driver’s licenses.

TESDA Director General Suharto Mangudadatu said that NCs are only issued by TESDA offices to qualified individuals who have passed the assessment for their respective qualifications. These NCs are valid for five years.

Mangudadatu added that certified workers and employers can verify the authenticity of NCs online. He urged the public to report to any individuals who may be selling fake NCs through the agency’s hotline, 8887-7777, or through SMS, 0917-479-4370.

TESDA’s Registry of Certified Workers can be accessed online through the agency’s website (https://www.tesda.gov.ph/Rwac). NCs are required by employers both locally and abroad as proof of workers’ skills and their ability to perform work.

“TESDA prioritizes the integrity of its certification system in certifying middle-level workers to ensure their productivity, quality, and global competitiveness,” Mangudadatu said.

Students, workers, or any individual who want to earn a National Certificate for skills they have learned can apply for assessment at private TESDA-accredited assessment centers, and at TESDA Regional and Provincial Offices nationwide. A complete list of assessment centers is also available online (https://www.tesda.gov.ph/AssessmentCenters/)

The requirements for assessment include a duly accomplished application form; 3 passport-size pictures with the name of the applicant written at the back of each picture; and a duly accomplished Self-Assessment Guide.