Amid the ongoing tension in the Middle East, an executive of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) said Tuesday that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) could avail of fast-tracked intervention from the agency.

“For OFWs currently in the Middle East, TESDA, through its partnerships, supports access to training and certification where feasible. For affected OFWs, TESDA provides targeted and fast-tracked interventions,” TESDA Public Information Office Director Floramel Joy Songsong told the Philippine News Agency in an interview.

These include priority access to training slots; training programs based on their previous overseas work experience; and flexible learning options to accommodate immediate reintegration needs.

Songsong said TESDA’s primary focus is on reintegration services for those returning home, and these include skills training, assessment and certification.

She said the OFWs could also opt to avail of the TESDA Online Program (TOP) for courses they could add to their existing qualifications or learn new skills.

“The intervention seeks to help the OFWs get a more stable job, or help them to have a livelihood,” she said.

Songsong said TESDA remains committed to achieving its goal of providing training that leads to real and decent jobs. She said the fast-tracked intervention is also available for those who would stay overseas.

“We treat the OFWs as ‘special clients’ and we prioritize them in our programs, especially the displaced and laid off,” she added. (PNA)