October 14, 2018

A licensed teacher and nurse has been chosen “Outstanding TVET Trainer” at the recently concluded 2018 Tagsanay Award of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Christopher E. Olipas of the OLM Institute and Skills Training Center for Allied Courses, Inc. in Bulacan, Region-lll topped the annual list of awardees for the 2018 Tagsanay Award which gives recognition and incentives to trainers in private and public technical vocational (tech-voc) institutions in the country.

Olipas is a teacher and a nurse who has a master's degree in nursing and a doctoral degree in Educational Management. He has been an accredited technical vocational (tech-voc) trainer and assessor for 10 years now.

Melea H. Gonzales, of Region lll-Tarlac, an instructor from Tarlac School of Arts and Trade, Inc.(TSATI) finished 1st runner up; and, Ariel D. Ronato, of Teamskills School for Culinary and Hospitality Management (TSCHM), Region Vll-Negros Oriental, 2nd runner-up.

The three awardees are among the Top 8 trainers that also included Rizalie C. Salvacion of The Rizal Memorial Colleges, Inc., (TRMCI), Region Xl-Davao del Sur; Edgar Q. Manato of Lupon School of Fisheries (LSF) in Region Xl-Davao Oriental; George B. Raciles, Divine World College of Laoag, Inc. (DWCLI), Region I-Ilocos Norte; Maribeth A. Fuerzas, Dipolog School of Fisheries (DSF), Region lX-Zamboanga del Norte; and, Susana E. Tandoc, Maxima Technical and Skills Training Institute, Inc. (MTSTII), Region l-Pangasinan.

Apart from the Outstanding TVET Trainer Award, Olipas also bagged the Best in Activity-Based Assessment special award.

Gonzales received the special awards for Best in Panel Interview and Best in Innovative Training Induction Program; Ronato, Best in Porfolio; Manto, Best in Written Examination; and Fuerzas, Best in Conducting Interview.

The winner of the Outstanding TVET Trainer award received a Php 25,000 cash price; 1st and 2nd runners-up received Php 20,000 and Php 15,000 respectively; and, each trainer who made it in the Top 8 of the competition received Php 5,000.  They also received trophies and plaques.

The TESDA Tagsanay Award is an institutional awards system that gives recognition and incentives to trainers from Technical Vocational Institutions (TVIs) and TESDA Technology Institutions (TTIs) who have exceeded the set requirements for Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and have demonstrated competencies beyond expectations.

The TESDA Tagsanay Award was formerly known as the “Kalinga Sa Tagsanay,” particularly the Lakan-Ilaw Awards category, which was given from 2011 to 2013, during which time only trainers from TESDA Technology Institutions were qualified for the award