Negros oriental: Negros Oriental will host the first-ever Negros Island Region (NIR) Regional Skills Competition from June 8 to 10, with 75 participants from three provinces competing in 17 events, officials of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) announced Wednesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, Ni±a Connie Dodd, acting TESDA regional director in NIR, expressed excitement over the activity, dubbed "WorldSkills Philippines NIR 2026." Dodd remarked on the significance of the event, stating, "We want to showcase that NIR, despite being a new region and smaller than other regions, our graduates, the trainees that we produce, are at par or even excel in international standards." She also highlighted that participating in the WorldSkills Competition will help them "gauge the competencies of our standards."
Dodd emphasized that the goal is not solely to earn gold medals in the region but to ensure that NIR's representatives achieve success at the national level. TESDA Negros Oriental Provincial Director Fletcher Gumahad noted that the 75 participants hail from the academe, with 32 from Negros Oriental, 30 from Negros Occidental, and 13 from Siquijor. He expressed hope for future collaboration with industries to participate in the skills competition.
The competition features 17 skill areas organized under five sectors: social and personal services, construction and building technology, information and communication technology, creative arts and fashion, and manufacturing and engineering technology. This includes disciplines such as baking, carpentry, cybersecurity, fashion technology, and mechatronics.
Competing institutions include Lazi Technical Institute and PTC-Siquijor in Siquijor; University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, RTC Talisay, University of St. La Salle, STI West Negros University, Carlos Hilado Memorial Language and Information Technology Center, and TUP-Visayas in Negros Occidental; and ACSAT-Dumaguete, PTC Dumaguete, Foundation University, Metro Dumaguete College, with full support from the Negros Oriental Association of TVET Institutions (NOATI) in Negros Oriental.
