TESDA to stage WorldSkills Philippines Eastern Visayas 2026 Regional Skills Olympics in Tacloban City

Young Filipino technicians set to compete across 20 trade areas as region gears up for prestigious skills showdown

By SAMAR NEWS.COM
May 16, 2026

CATBALOGAN CITY – The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Regional Office VIII is set to host the WorldSkills Philippines Eastern Visayas - 2026 Regional Skills Olympics from May 19 to 21, 2026, bringing together the region's most talented technical-vocational learners in a high-stakes competition designed to measure their skills against international industry standards.

The announcement, made through an official press release dated Friday, May 15, 2026, confirms that the three-day event will serve as a critical qualifying round, with top performers advancing to the National Skills Olympics and potentially representing the Philippines on the global stage at the International WorldSkills and ASEAN Skills Competitions.

A grand opening in the heart of Eastern Visayas

The competition will kick off on May 19 with an Opening Ceremony at the ACLC College of Tacloban City, Inc. – Fatima Campus. The competition proper will then unfold on May 20 and 21 across various designated venues throughout Tacloban City, culminating in a Closing Ceremony on May 21 at 4:00 PM at the same campus.

Organized in accordance with Republic Act No. 7796 – the law establishing TESDA and institutionalizing the country's technical-vocational education and training (TVET) system – this year's Olympics will feature 20 trade areas, showcasing the diverse competencies and technical expertise of participants from across the Eastern Visayas region.

Four partner institutions, twenty skills

The competitions will be strategically distributed among four partner institutions in Tacloban City, each hosting specific trade categories:

Regional Training Center–Tacloban will serve as the primary hub for hands-on industrial trades, hosting competitions in Automobile Technology, Carpentry, Electrical Installation, Wall and Floor Tiling, ICT Network Infrastructure, Refrigeration and Airconditioning, Welding, Landscape Gardening, and Fashion Technology.

ACLC College of Tacloban City, Inc. will handle the digital and technology-driven categories, including Cybersecurity, Graphic Design Technology, IT Network Systems Administration, Software Applications Development, and Web Technologies.

St. Therese Educational Foundation of Tacloban Inc. (located in Barangay 91 Abucay) will host Plumbing and Heating competitions.

JE Mondejar Computer College, Inc. will round out the roster with service-oriented trade areas: Hotel Reception, Cooking, Restaurant Service, Bakery, and Health & Social Care.

More than a competition: A pipeline for global talent

The WorldSkills Philippines competition is far more than a regional contest – it is a carefully structured talent pipeline that has produced globally competitive Filipino workers for years.

The competition follows a three-tier structure: Regional Skills Olympics serve as local qualifiers, feeding winners into the National Skills Olympics, where the country's best compete for the honor of representing the Philippines at the International WorldSkills Competition and ASEAN Skills Competitions – the world's largest stage for vocational excellence.

TESDA officials emphasized that the competition is designed to build confidence, discipline, and innovation among technical-vocational students while producing workers who can fuel both local and national economic growth.

Eastern Visayas: A region with a proud track record

The press release highlighted Region VIII's strong history of achievement in skills competitions. Competitors from Eastern Visayas have consistently brought pride to the region, excelling at the Philippine National Skills Competition (PNSC) as well as on ASEAN and WorldSkills stages.

Most recently, in August 2025, Region VIII achieved a notable milestone during the ASEAN Skills Manila 2025, further cementing the area's reputation for excellence in technical skills and innovation. These accomplishments, TESDA noted, underscore that its graduates are "truly at par with global standards."

Shaping the future workforce

At its core, the 2026 Regional Skills Olympics aims to recognize the skills excellence of young industry workers and graduates of technical-vocational centers, while fostering the innovation, discipline, and global competitiveness that the Philippines' future workforce will need to thrive in an increasingly demanding global economy.