Batangas delegates proved their mettle by clinching seven gold medals at the CALABARZON Regional Skills Competition organized by TESDA held in Quezon.
The participants showcased their expertise in various technical categories, including graphic design, hotel reception, information network cabling, IT network systems administration, IT software solutions, mechanical engineering, restaurant service, and cooking.
The competition spanned for three days.
First-time competitors Ravie Fetizanan, Lianna Verana, and Justin Aleta excelled in their respective categories.
"Being part of it was definitely challenging but also, I enjoyed it at most," Ravie Fetizanan, a gold medalist in IT software solutions for business, said.
"Medyo nagulat din po ako sa modules namin kasi I wasn't expecting na madaming side tasks, so I had to master a number of skills," Lianna Verana, a gold medalist in restaurant service, said.
"Lahat po ng tasks na binibigay po sa akin, lahat po 'yun ay bago... talagang inaral ko po 'yun kahit pa po kulangin ako sa tulog until contest day," Justin Aleta, a gold medalist in Graphic Design Technology, added.
Acknowledging the intense competition and the limited preparation time of a few weeks, Skills Expert Janzell Palbacal emphasized the importance of time management for students juggling between academics and training.
"The time management especially for those students na pumapasok pa siyempre mahahati ang atensyon sa schooling nila tsaka sa training nila," she said.
The students were selected carefully from different colleges in Batangas.
"Kapag minsan hindi nila alam na kaya pala nila gawin 'yung test package. Actually, yung test package is given to them [at] pina-practice na nila prior to the competition," Dorie Gutierrez, Director of TESDA-Batangas, said.
The victory marks a significant achievement for the students.
The gold medalists will represent Batangas Province in the upcoming Philippine National Skills Competition in March 2024, with the ultimate goal of becoming national delegates to showcase their skills in the ASEAN and World Skills Competitions.
