BPOs expect EBET law to help address skills issues

THE Enterprise-Based Education and Training (EBET) law, as well as expanded internships, will help the information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry address issues regarding the workforce’s skills shortcomings.

- Justine Irish D. Tabile

IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) Chief Operating Officer Celeste llagan said the partnership between industry and government in the upskilling and reskilling of workers has been around for some time, but 2025 will mark a milestone in terms of government funding.

“This year is quite special because the allocation of funds for the IT-BPM industry has been very clear. And we are now in the state of mobilizing our industry, so we are able to fully utilize within the year the allocation from the government,” she said.

In particular, she said that the industry received P500 million from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and P240 million from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).

IBPAP Executive Director for Talent Attraction and Development Frankie Antolin said the passage of the EBET law “empowers enterprises to take advantage of and leverage government partnership and support when it comes to training and development.”

“We are very happy that through our engagements with TESDA, we are going to be able to mobilize training and development, particularly for EBET. So that is intended to be implemented for this year,” she said.