Aquino lionizes Joel Villanueva in speech marking TESDA's ISO certification

President Benigno Aquino III on Monday built up Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Director General Joel Villanueva in a speech in Malacañang, calling the secretary an asset in his administration. 

 

“Hindi natin mararating ang araw na ito, kundi dahil sa mahusay na pinuno ng TESDA. Kung may hindi pa po nakakaalam, 'ISO certified' din po ang kasamahan nating si Secretary Joel Villanueva. Sa paglilingkod, meron po siyang ISO—Integridad at Sigasig, na siyang nagbibigay ng Oportunidad sa mas maraming Pilipino,” Aquino said on the occasion of the awarding of TESDA’s International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001:2008 certificates 

 

Included in those given certifications were the central office, 17 regional offices and 81 provincial offices, including the first and only agency in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to receive an ISO certification.

 

Villanueva is rumored to be Aquino’s bet to replace Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma, who will allegedly be tapped to head the Civil Service Commission.

 

In the same speech, Aquino compared Villanueva to an adept basketball coach whose strategies have turned the once flagging agency around. 

 

“Iba po talaga si Secretary Joel. Kumbaga sa basketball, laging swak ang kanyang mga inisyatiba para sa TESDA. Kung dati, kulelat at tambak ng problema ang ahensiya, ngayon, umaarangkada na, at isa na ang TESDA sa mga nangungunang ahensiya ng gobyerno pagdating sa kalidad ng serbisyo. Sabi ko nga po: Panalo talaga ang TESDA dahil kay Secretary Joel Villanueva; ang mga gaya niyang kabahagi natin sa youth sector, siguradong marami pang magagawa para sa kapwa at buong bansa,” he said. 

 

Villanueva, in remarks of his own, alluded to his eventual departure as head of the TESDA.

 

“Today, I praise God Almighty, and I feel so proud to be part of this great agency. TESDA has grown, jobs have been created, better future lies ahead. Certainly time will come I may no longer be at TESDA but there will be others who will care for the tree that [my son] Jaden and I planted [when I first started with TESDA,]” Villanueva said.

 

Villanueva is a long-time ally of the Aquino administration. His father, Bro. Eddie Villanueva of the Jesus is Lord Church, was among the religious leaders at a prayer meeting with the president in March that the Palace said was held “in light of seeming current threat of political, economic and social instability.” — JDS, GMA News