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TESDA and Bayan Family of Foundations advance a Green TVET for a Future-ready Filipino Workforce
The Bayan Family of Foundations and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), with the support of J.P. Morgan, held the Green TVET Forum on ACT for Green Jobs on March 12–13, 2026, at the Luxent Hotel in Quezon City.
Anchored on the theme Advancing Capacity and Training Toward a Just and SustainABLE Future, the forum convened representatives from the government, industry, academe, alongside advocates—to act collectively in translating plans into action.
Building on the outcomes of Project SustainABLE, the event served as a culminating platform showcasing multi-sectoral efforts to strengthen the country’s TVET ecosystem.
Sectoral Plans and Priorities
On the first day of the forum, the six green priority sectors—manufacturing, construction, transportation, renewable energy, agriculture and fisheries, and ecotourism—highlighted the green skills and workforce transitions needed to seize opportunities in the emerging green economy.
Through a series of breakout sessions, the various sectors discussed policy directions, sectoral skills priorities, and concrete action plans to align training systems with industry demands while ensuring decent work and a just transition
Regional collaborations and commitments
Following the identified action plans and sectoral skills priorities, Day 2 expanded the conversation to the regional level, exploring how collaboration across ASEAN can accelerate green skills development and strengthen TVET systems.
Each sector also shared their sectoral commitments and public pledges, transforming their discussions into specific steps toward a greener, future-ready workforce.
Partner Visions for a Green Future
Speaking on behalf of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Dir. Khalid Hassan, Country Director of ILO, highlighted the importance of ensuring that the greening of the TVET ecosystem prioritizes a just transition—one that not only creates jobs for communities but also generates opportunities that are inclusive.
“What today's forum represents is more than a policy dialogue. It represents a shared commitment. A commitment from the institutions like TESDA, from the industry leaders and investors, from the development partners, from the workers and the private sector, to ensure that the green transition creates opportunities for all.
Because the success of the green transition will not be measured only in emissions. It will be measured in jobs created, workers trained, and communities empowered.”
Meanwhile, Prof. Carlo Sagun, President and CEO of BFF, shared his aspirations, reinforcing the need to shape a future where the Filipino workforce thrives, while contributing to the green jobs agenda.
“In this partnership for Green TVET, our hope is for three outcomes. The first is employment - that our graduates become employed.
The second is the wage effect - that employment leads to net income that is commensurate to the value of the skills that workers bring – aligned with what the industry is willing to pay for those skills.
Last, but not least, is sustainability. We want to proactively measure how our workers are contributing to the green jobs agenda.”
Turning Commitments into Action
With commitments now in place, the focus moves to action, turning plans into real opportunities for Filipino workers in the green economy. This requires stronger collaboration and sustained multi-sector efforts.
As TESDA Director General Secretary Kiko Benitez noted:
“No worker should be displaced or replaced. But future-proofing our workforce is something that cannot be done by a single institution alone. Workforce development requires alignment between policy direction, industry, demand, and training systems.”
BFF extends its deepest gratitude to TESDA, J.P. Morgan, industry partners, and advocates who have championed Green TVET.
The journey toward a sustainable, future-ready workforce continues. Through strengthened collaboration, shared commitments, and sustained action, stakeholders move closer to building an inclusive green economy that empowers Filipino workers and communities.
