DIPLOMA PROGRAMS. Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Regional Director Jerry G. Tizon said on Tuesday (June 7, 2022) Western Visayas has close to PHP200 million allocation for the implementation of ladderized diploma programs. He advised those who are interested in availing of the program to visit the agency's partner institutions or provincial officers for guidance.(File photo courtesy of TESDA Regional Office VI) ILOILO CITY - Western Visayas will have around PHP100 million to PHP200 million allocation for the ladderized diploma programs of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) through the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (UAQTEA) this 2022. Some of the programs offered under the UAQTEA are the Diplomas in Information Technology; in Hotel and Restaurant Technology; in Nursing Technology; and in Agricultural Technology, among others. "Our diploma course has a series of competencies and qualifications. A certain qualification has an NC (National Certificate) equivalent so after three years they already have a lot of competencies," said TESDA regional director Jerry G. Tizon, in a follow-up interview on Tuesday. Since the programs are offered in partner state colleges and universities, private training institutions or TESDA-administered schools, the recipients may opt to pursue a bachelor's degree after completing the three-year ladderized diploma program, he added. "We advise those who are interested to visit our partners institutions offering diploma courses or better yet go to our provincial officers scattered in six provinces that handle the deployment of our scholarships for them to be guided," Tizon said. Since 2018, the UAQTEA has already benefitted 29, 274 enrollees in Western Visayas who opted to avail of either the single/bundled program or the ladderized diploma program. The UAQTEA is mandated under Republic Act 10931 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in April 2017 to extend to Filipinos the opportunity to avail of free tertiary education either from public or private institutions. The scholars enrolled in the diploma program receive free tuition and miscellaneous fees and trainee support provisions such as costs for the national competency assessment, instructional materials, living allowance, starter tool kit, and workshop T-shirts. (PNA) }