CENTRAL Visayas is searching for its next international skills champion as the region’s best young workers compete in the WorldSkills Philippines Central Visayas Regional Skills Olympics 2026 for a chance to represent the Philippines on the global stage.
The three-day competition opened Tuesday, June 2, at the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) 7 Compound in Lahug, Cebu City, bringing together provincial champions from Cebu and Bohol.
Gold medalists will advance to the National Skills Olympics in Clark, Pampanga from July 27 to 31, where they will compete for slots in future international skills competitions.
Tesda 7 Regional Director Gamaliel Vicente Jr. said the participants represent the region’s “best of the best” after emerging victorious in their respective provincial competitions.
“These competitors are not competing against each other. They are competing against world standards,” Vicente said.
Contestants must meet internationally recognized scoring benchmarks to earn gold medals and qualify for the national competition.
The competition features 17 skill categories, including electrical installation, electronics, fashion technology, ICT network infrastructure, industrial control, IT systems administration, mechatronics, restaurant services, software development, web technologies and welding.
Vicente said Tesda 7 aims to produce more world-class competitors following the success of Central Visayas representative Bea G. Hermosura, who won a silver medal in Bakery during WorldSkills Asia 2025 and will represent the Philippines in the WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai this September.
He said the event goes beyond medals and rankings, emphasizing the values of discipline, teamwork, excellence and camaraderie.
“This is beyond competition. We want to impart moral values, camaraderie and excellence in skills among our competitors,” Vicente said.
Vicente also noted that the participation of a 16-year-old contestant could strengthen the region’s chances in international competitions, where age limits often apply.
Skills for the future
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival Sr. encouraged participants to continue honing their skills and urged more young people to consider technical-vocational education as a pathway to employment and entrepreneurship.
“Katong dili ganahan mag-college, dinhi nata sa Tesda. Mao kini inyong kaugmaon,” Archival said.
(For those who choose not to pursue college, Tesda offers an alternative path. This could be your future.)
He said technical skills remain valuable despite the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and digital technologies because many competencies still require human expertise and cannot easily be replaced by automation.
Archival added that skills development is crucial to Cebu City’s vision of becoming a smart and inclusive city by 2035, with a highly skilled workforce serving as a foundation for sustainable growth.
Tool against poverty
Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro said technical-vocational education remains one of the strongest tools for creating opportunities and improving lives.
“As governor, I firmly believe that education and skills development are among the strongest tools we have to fight poverty, create opportunities, and strengthen our economy,” Baricuatro said.
She described the participants as the region’s finest young talents in technical and vocational education.
“You are already representing the very best of technical and vocational excellence in our region,” Baricuatro said.
The governor said the competitors are helping shape the future workforce of Cebu and the country through their commitment to learning, discipline and innovation.
She also recognized the role of trainers, educators, industry partners and parents in preparing the next generation of skilled workers for meaningful employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
Baricuatro encouraged participants to learn from one another, take pride in their achievements and continue proving that Cebuano talent can compete globally.
The Regional Skills Olympics will run until June 4 and serves as a platform for young skilled workers to demonstrate their competencies while promoting technical-vocational education and workforce readiness in Central Visayas. (April Vince Villacorta & Jasmine Vergantiños, CNU interns)
