CDC, TESDA partner to establish innovation center in Clark

CLARK FREEPORT — The Philippine government is strengthening its efforts to equip Filipinos with industry-relevant skills through a partnership between the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
Clark Development Corporation (CDC) President and CEO Atty. Agnes VST Devanadera and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Jose Francisco Benitez pose with participants at the 2024 Region 3 TVET Stakeholders Forum, showcasing a “C” hand gesture. Also present in the photo are Pampanga 4th District Representative Anna York Bondoc; CDC Vice President for Security Services Group PMGen Lina Sarmiento (Ret.); TESDA Region 3 Regional Director Baron Jose Lagran; TESDA Executive Director for Partnership and Linkages Office Floramel Joy Songsong; TESDA Bulacan Provincial Director Melanie Grace Romero; and Region 3 Mango Stakeholders Association Inc. President Enrico Batungbacal. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
This collaboration was formalized through a signing of a deed of usufruct led by CDC President and CEO Atty. Agnes VST Devanadera and TESDA Director General Jose Francisco Benitez at the Royce Hotel and Casino on Thursday, November 8.
The project will establish the Regional TVET Innovation Center (RTIC) here with a P207.5 million budget, funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) under the Supporting Innovation in the Philippine Technical Vocational Education and Training (SIPTVETS) program.
In her message, Atty. Devanadera highlighted that the partnership with TESDA will bridge the skills gap by aligning workforce capabilities with industry needs.
 “TESDA is very much alive. TESDA is the answer to the gaps that we have identified,” she said.
“We look forward to TESDA’s programs to be integrated with the programs in the Clark Freeport Zone so that the entire business ecosystem will be completed. It is only in this kind of dynamic and innovative partnership that we can move on,” she added.
The RTIC will modernize training programs in Warehouse and Logistics Management and Big Data Analytics, featuring advanced facilities such as intelligent warehousing areas, electronics and robotics labs, fabrication workshops, and incubation spaces for startups.
It will also focus on research, enterprise education, and workforce upskilling, partnering with the Gonzalo Puyat School of Arts and Trades to ensure industry-aligned training.
For his part, Secretary Benitez emphasized his agency’s commitment to enhancing the skills of Filipino workers to meet both local and global standards.
“We at TESDA are committed to giving Filipinos opportunities to increase employability, productivity, and competitiveness, qualities that are crucial to adapt in the digital transformation and technological innovation brought about by the fourth industrial revolution, including the inherent productivity, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity in a fast-changing world-to-world and global competition,” he said.
Located in Clark Freeport Zone, the RTIC benefits from proximity to key industries in logistics, manufacturing, and Information Technology (IT), providing hands-on training and direct connections to employers.
The center’s sustainable, climate-smart design aligns with Clark’s broader goals of becoming a hub for technology, innovation, and sustainability.
This initiative will also involve local governments in selecting trainees and providing transportation subsidies, expanding access to training opportunities.
With the RTIC, the government aims to improve employability and prepare Filipinos for careers in high-growth sectors.