TARLAC CITY, Philippines — The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) recently conferred the Kabalikat Award to the provincial government of Tarlac even as it granted scholarship grants for skills training to the youth, unemployed adults, and returning overseas workers in the province.

TESDA Director-General Joel Villanueva handed the distinction to the province in a ceremony held during the agency’s 17th anniversary celebration.

“The annual recognition seeks to commend academic institutions, private companies, industry associations, local government units and congressional district offices for their exemplary contributions to the advancement of technical-vocational education and training in the country,” said Villanueva.

He said that Tarlac’s “contributions to TESDA were either through the grant of scholarships, donation of hand tools and equipments for training, establishment of training centers or rendering of technical assistance in the development of training standards.”

Apart from the provincial government of Tarlac, 14 other institutions also bagged the said recognition.

Governor Victor Yap has also granted scholarships to poor but deserving students in the province in its bid to make them highly-educated and prepared for good-paying jobs.