Jobless Ilonggos get DOLE livelihood kits
The Department of Labor and Employment 6, in partnership with Western Visayas College of Science and Technology (WVCST), recently released P175,000 worth of Kabuhayan Starter Kits to 33 unemployed workers from Iloilo.
The kits include various tools and jigs which they can use to quickly start their livelihood activities.
The beneficiaries, trained by WVCST on various trades, are part of the 400 unemployed workers in Western Visayas to benefit from the project.
Labor OIC Regional Director Manuel Roldan said many unemployed workers were provided with skills through training conducted by the DOLE and by Technical and Vocational Education and Training schools but not with tools.
He said, under this project, the beneficiaries are provided with tools that could help them get easily employed or become self-employed.
“These tools can help you get employed and, ultimately, reduce unemployment in the region,” he told the beneficiaries.
He also told them to take care of their tools for lifetime use.
Roldan also encouraged the beneficiaries to obtain certification from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) as this is being required by employers both here and abroad.
“Employers look for certification from TESDA as one of the requirements when they hire workers,” he said. “Even though you possess the necessary skills but without certification from TESDA you may not get hired especially abroad.”
Tools distributed include hot air station, multi-tester, screw drivers, soldering iron, pump and lead, and pliers, to those who undertook Consumer Electronics Servicing; and, multi-tester VOM, hammer, pliers, screw drivers, hack saw, steel tape, electrical knife and tool pouch holster, among others, to the beneficiaries who trained in electrical wiring repair and services.
For carpentry trainees, distributed were cross cut saw, steel tape, claw hammer, tri-square, set of chisels, and smooth plane, while to welding and automotive graduates, filler gauge, adjustable wrench, spark plug wrench, socket wrench, combination wrench and torque wrench, pliers, soldering iron, hack saw, and flaring tools.*
