Speech by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the Ceremonial Signing of the Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) Framework Act

Thank you, Executive Secretary Luc Bersamin. [Please be seated.]

Senate President, SP Chiz Escudero; the honorable members of the Senate; House Speaker Martin Romualdez and the members of the House of Representatives; members of the Cabinet here present; the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director General [Kiko] Benitez; our key development partners and stakeholders; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen, good morning.

With the ceremonial signing of the Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) Framework Act, we reaffirm our commitment to addressing the skills gap in our labor force and pledge to forge a more adaptable, future-ready workforce. Through this law, we renew our focus on our most important asset—our people.

The EBET Framework Act is both visionary and certainly timely.

Yesterday, the PSA released the latest Labor Force Survey and I am happy to note that our employment and unemployment rates improved in the past three months.

With this law, I am confident that we will be able to sustain and further improve these numbers.

By establishing a framework on career advancement and industry-relevant skills, this law directly addresses the issues on the lack of formal training and skill mismatches, ensuring that every Filipino can contribute and benefit from our nation’s growth.

Of course, we have our legislative branch to thank for the passage of this law. With your support, we are taking a step towards sustainable development of our people.

At its heart, the EBET Framework Act aims to provide Filipino workers with accessible and relevant skills training, bridging the capabilities of individuals with the demands of industry. By opening pathways to professional growth, employment opportunities, and entrepreneurship, we are answering the call for quality employment and fostering a globally competitive workforce.

Through this act, we will harness private-sector partnerships to align our training programs with real-world industry needs. The private sector will play a crucial role in ensuring that our workforce is properly equipped with the right skills to meet the demands of the industry.

To further support this alignment, the EBET Framework Act harmonizes various approaches—apprenticeship, leadership, and the dual training system—under one cohesive structure. Designed with inclusivity in mind, this serves as a broad range of skills and professional levels.

The General EBET Programs will target foundational and mid-level skills, providing participants with practical training that prepares them for immediate employment.

And this is actually a key element of this EBET Act. In that we have seen so many livelihood programs that we initiated especially at the local government level. But at the end of the livelihood programs, those who have gone through those programs still do not find employment using the skills that they had just learned.

That is why it is very important to synchronize our training and our skills training with the actual requirements of industry and the labor market. And that’s why the partnership between private and public is critical. Because if we are successful in doing this, before a student or a trainee is finished with their training, there already is an available space in the labor market waiting for them, specifically defined by industry and saying what we need are workers with these specific skills. And we will, in fact, help you to teach those skills and once they are done with their training, they can come and work for us.

And that is – that will address what we have all seen in all our efforts to increase labor – to increase employment, we have seen is the mismatch in terms of skills training and the labor market.

This becomes particularly important in this day and age when after the pandemic everything has become different. And technology has advanced at a meteoric pace and we have to keep up. And the new technologies that are being employed need to be serviced by our workers. And that is why this EBET Act is critical for achieving success in that regard.

Through these programs, we prepare our people for these opportunities within just six months.

For those seeking further advancement, Apprenticeship Programs will offer specialized training, building higher-level competencies.

Our collaboration with industry boards, technical-vocational institutions, and government agencies should ensure that these competency standards remain relevant and consistently updated, preparing trainees for future roles in sectors experiencing rapid technological advancement.

Recognizing the critical role of enterprises, especially micro and small businesses, this [act] includes robust incentives to encourage their active involvement in workforce development.

We provide fiscal incentives to enterprises that will implement EBET programs, including deduction from their taxable income equivalent to 50 percent of actual training expenses. Donations or financial aid for technical vocational institutions or for the conduct of an EBET program as certified by the TESDA are exempted from some of these taxes and duties. A one-stop shop portal shall be established for the availment of these incentives.

To support micro and small enterprises, we are introducing EBET support integrators who will guide these businesses in analyzing both market trends, designing training plans, and organizing necessary documentation.

This targeted assistance will make it possible for even the smallest businesses to provide high-quality, industry-aligned training, empowering them to uplift their communities and the economy as a whole.

For our trainees, this act means a structured pathway towards employment and career progression. Beyond certifications, they will gain real-world experience that enhance[s] their readiness to contribute from day one.

In signing the EBET Framework Act into law, we lay a stronger foundation for a workforce that is agile, skilled, and ready to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving world. Through this legislation, we realize our vision of a nation where talent is nurtured, potential is realized, and opportunities abound for all our people.

So, let us build a workforce that can compete on the global stage. We have succeeded in that regard. But we have to do this if we are to continue that success and build upon it.

We are shaping a more inclusive, dynamic, and prosperous Bagong Pilipinas—where every Filipino has a chance to grow, a chance to succeed, and a chance to contribute to a shared future that is bright for all of us.

Maraming salamat. Mabuhay ang Bagong Pilipinas! [applause]

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