Ian Paolo Villacencio

With the world watching and the region’s best young talents arriving soon, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has jump-started the country’s preparations for WorldSkills (WS) ASEAN 2025 by forming a high-level inter-agency task force to take the reins of this international skills spectacle.


Set for August 26 to 28 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, the event will gather around 300 competitors from 10 ASEAN nations to battle it out in 32 skill areas, from cutting-edge tech and engineering to fashion, construction, and logistics.

Signed on June 19, Administrative Order (AO) No. 34 establishes a task force chaired by the Director General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), with the Secretary of Labor as co-chair.

“The TESDA shall serve as the Secretariat... and shall provide the necessary technical, administrative, and operational support to the Task Force,” the AO stated.

Among the task force members are top officials from the Departments of Agriculture, Education, Foreign Affairs, Health, Interior and Local Government, Public Works, Trade, Transportation, and Tourism, as well as the chairs of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Customs, and Bureau of Immigration.

A call to action

In a speech delivered by TESDA Director General Jose Francisco Benitez on March 11, he justified that the event is a showcase of young talent and a platform for setting new benchmarks in future generations.

“To fully capitalize on this demographic advantage, we must invest in education and workforce development. That is why this gathering is so important,” he added.

With ASEAN on track to become the world’s fourth-largest economy by 2030, Benitez emphasized that “investing in education and workforce development is critical to sustaining economic growth,” pointing to the region’s youthful population as a driver of innovation.

The six sectors represented in the competition include Information and Communications Technology (ICT), construction, creative arts and fashion, engineering, social services, and transportation.

Timor-Leste joins the call

The event also marks the first time the Philippines will host since 1996, while other ASEAN members include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

This year’s edition marks a milestone with Timor-Leste joining as the newest member of the WorldSkills ASEAN family.

Meanwhile, the national government is actively encouraging local government units and private sector partners to participate in the preparations as their engagement is deemed crucial in fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and world-class hosting environment that reflects the Philippines’ commitment to skills development.

More than just a competition, WS ASEAN 2025 is a celebration of talent and a chance for the country to prove that Filipino skills are ready to shine on the world stage.