Tacloban: The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will build a PHP172.14-million innovation center here funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to produce more skilled workers in the Eastern Visayas region. The facility, designed to improve technical-vocational skills development in welding, steel fabrication, and farm mechanization, will be located within the TESDA regional office complex and is expected to be completed by September 2026.

According to Philippines News Agency, TESDA Director General Jose Francisco Benitez stated that the three-story building is envisioned as a center of excellence that supports rural transformation through technology-driven, industry-aligned technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programs. 'We are not just breaking ground for an innovation center; we're laying the foundation for boosting technical and vocational education in Eastern Visayas,' Benitez told officials during the ceremony.

He mentioned that the facility, with a floor area of 2,120 to 2,500 square meters, will train approximately 2,000 to 3,000 individuals annually. It features a smart factory work/demonstration area, multi-disciplinary fabrication workshops, co-working spaces, event spaces, business incubation rooms, a caf©, a lobby, and other support facilities.

The project will address the shortage of suitable tools, aging machinery, and limited support services in the region's agriculture sector, which has led to lower yields and reduced competitiveness among smallholder farmers. By the end of 2027, TESDA aims to complete innovation centers in each of the 17 regions in the country through the ADB funding.

The project is part of the Supporting Innovation in the Philippine Technical Vocational Education and Training System (SIPTVETS), a USD100 million loan from the ADB to help modernize and reform the Philippine TVET system. It also aims to equip the youth and workforce with the skills required in a technology- and knowledge-driven economy.