President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed former Sultan Kudarat Governor Suharto Mangudadatu as the next Director-General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Palace announced Tuesday.
Mangudadatu succeeds former TESDA Director General Danilo Cruz, who was chosen by Marcos for the role in July 2022.
In a press release issued by the Presidential Communications Office, he served as Sultan Kudarat's governor for three terms, from 2007 to 2016, and again from 2019 to 2022, which were "marked by notable achievements and initiatives aimed at improving the lives of the province's residents."
In 2020, Mangudadatu, along with other authorities from the Sultan Kudarat province, announced support for the Anti-Terrorism Bill, stressing the necessity to tackle "threats posed by terrorism" and adopt legislation that will be a "potential deterrent to future terrorists."
Mangudadatu also served in the House of Representatives from July 2004 to June 2007, representing Sultan Kudarat's lone constituency.
He began his political career as the municipal mayor of Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat, from July 1998 until June 2004.
According to TESDA data for 2020, more tech-voc students have been signing up for TESDA programs in recent years to develop their abilities rather than solely to increase their chances of landing a job.
The experts from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies said that at least 50% of tech-voc graduates enrolled "for skills upgrading or enhancement," while roughly 30% joined to boost their work prospects.
Mangudadatu's appointment comes on the heels of the announcement of Marcos' other new Cabinet members, Gilberto Teodoro as defense secretary and Dr. Teodoro Herbosa as health secretary.
