La Trinidad, Benguet – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) conducted series of skills training to 85 individuals coming from poor families in Benguet. The skills training is in collaboration with Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and BVS Colleges.
Thirty-five individuals graduated from Shielded Metal Arc Welding, 25 from wheel loader and hydraulic excavation, and another 25 from driving and auto servicing course. The graduates passed the TESDA assessment qualifying them to their respective certifications.
“These individuals are from Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) households. Aside from the grants that their families receive from the 4Ps, we trained them on skills for their livelihood”, DSWD-CAR OIC Regional Director Janet P. Armas shared.
“Congratulations for acquiring new skills. Dayta nga baro nga kabaelan nga naadal yo ket isu ti mangited empowerment kadayo tapnu magun-ud yo ti panagprogreso yo ken iti pamilya yo.” Director Armas informed the graduates.
SLP Project Development Officer Jesper P. Paquito facilitated the training done on August 29 to 5 October 2016 at BVS College.
“SLP will not stop here. The program will continue to train and educate our beneficiaries to fight poverty; the program is also doing its best to link and employ the graduates with our external partners,” SLP External Relations Officer Florence Baguilat shared.
“We thank the Department of Social Welfare and Development for giving us hope, a chance to be competent and involved, to be in the workforce and to be of help to our family” Shielded Metal Arc Welding graduate Eleanor Casilen said in her speech.
Aside from the training, the SLP will also provide pre-employment assistance to the graduates amounting to Php 5,000 to be used by the graduates while in search for a job.
The Sustainable Livelihood Program is a community-based capacity building program that seeks to improve the socio-economic capacity of the poor to enhanced access to basic social services and improve their standard of living.
By Mark Erik King D. Guanzon