17-medal haul
Toyota Motor Philippines School of Technology student David Kryzjan Escobar won gold in the Automobile Technology category at the Technological Education and Skills Development (TESDA’s) WorldSkills Philippines Clark 2026, competing against delegates from 10 other regions. His medal contributed to Calabarzon’s 17-medal haul and overall national championship.
Escobar, 20, is part of TMP Tech’s Automotive Servicing General Job Batch 24 and was coached by Master Instructor Apolinar Rampola. He will join other medalists in the Philippine delegation to the WorldSkills ASEAN Competition in 2027.
Benchmark for technical capabilities
The result offers a benchmark for the technical capabilities Toyota is developing as vehicles increasingly require expertise spanning conventional and newer powertrains.
TMP Tech said competencies in diesel and gas engine diagnostics, repair and servicing, as well as internal combustion and hybrid powertrain technologies, remain important to Toyota’s after-sales operations and the competitiveness of the Philippine workforce.
TMP Tech participated in three WorldSkills categories at the provincial, regional and national levels this year, earning seven medals—all gold. Since opening in 2013, the school has produced roughly 3,000 graduates, while more than 200 have been dispatched to Japan as of this year.
Stronger demand for Pinoy technicians
Toyota is building additional training capacity as it anticipates stronger local and international demand for Filipino technicians. TMP Tech opened its second branch in San Fernando, Pampanga, in August, extending the institution beyond its original campus and creating another entry point for students seeking automotive after-sales skills.
Trained for automotive ecosystem
The Central Luzon expansion is intended to enlarge the pool of graduates qualified for employment in the Philippines and overseas.
Escobar’s progression to the ASEAN competition gives that strategy a regional showcase: a Filipino technician trained for Toyota’s automotive ecosystem moving from the national stage toward international competition. —Vanessa Hidalgo |Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
