CALANASAN, Apayao – The Office of Congresswoman Leah Bulut-Begtang allotted five million pesos for Special Training on Employment Program (STEP) in collaboration with Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
The allotment was made known during the conduct of the Training Induction Program of some 50 trainees in Tanglagan this town on August 6, 2024 during which the Office of the Congresswoman also mentioned of other training induction programs of STEP done earlier in other municipalities for beneficiaries of other towns in the province.
In Calanasan, the trainees, mostly women, enrolled in the various courses – Bread and Pastry Production, Organic Agriculture Production, and the Production of Organic Concoctions and Extracts.
Their training consists of 21 days for Bread and Pastry, 13 days for Raising of Organic Hogs, 11 days for Production of Concoctions and Extracts.
TESDA said the training delivery is hands-on with minimal lectures and shall be conducted by Flora Agri Tourism Farm and A&G Training Assessment Center Inc. through a community-based approach.
Twenty percent of the five million-peso fund is allocated to toolkits, while others will go to training support to fund trainees at PhP160 per day and for competency assessment fees.
The STEP aims to enhance specific skills needed in the community and promote employment through entrepreneurship, self-employment and service-oriented activities which Bulut-Begtang has annually funded since 2014.
For 2024, STEP received five million pesos, one of the highest allocations among social programs funded by the congresswoman totaling to 30 million pesos. By Loremia Pareja
