Livelihood summit seen to boost employment

By Jeehan V. Fernandez

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) conducted its first Livelihood Summit in Sta. Barbara yesterday, in the hope to give more jobs to the people.

TESDA provincial director Yolanda C. Porschwitz stressed the activity aims to provide employment to the people. She cited the agency is focused on this since there are many who are unemployed.

She added that TESDA has been in coordination with other government agencies like Department of Trade Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on the creation of jobs.

Porschwitz noted that TESDA has also linkages with rural banks and financing institutions in providing capital for putting up a business. She also urged individuals and groups to prepare their project proposals to be approved by the mayor.

The Livelihood Summit was the first to be held and to be replicated in other areas of the province, she said. It was attended by more than 700 participants, mostly women and including barangay officials.

The summit aimed to develop the skills on business opportunities such as fish and meat processing, candle making and flower arrangement, among others. It has targeted to give housewives the adequate training for them to start their own business.

TESDA regional director Buen Mondejar pointed out the program focused on education, teaching the women on how to earn income and utilizing their skills to be productive residents.

Mondejar noted the second district which is composed of the towns of Sta. Barbara, Cabatuan , New Lucena , Leganes , Pavia , Zarraga , Alimodian , Leon , and San Miguel, is fortunate of the projects granted by TESDA director general Augusto L. Syjuco .

He said that TESDA has funding for the construction of a P500 ,000 Learning Resource and Livelihood Center in the eight municipalities which in turn will be maintaining its operating expenses. The center will house computers which will be connected to the internet, specifically for research process.

Mondejar also boasted of the P1-million fruit processing plant and P500 ,000 computer laboratory in Leon while there is also a P1-million assessment center and P900,000-project grant for a TESDA school in New Lucena .

“In the span of five months, Syjuco has given P8 million worth of projects to the second district,” Mondejar said.

Meanwhile, Syjuco is optimistic that TESDA would be providing jobs and livelihood with its substantial budget of more than a half of the P4 billion Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) budget.

Syjuco added that it would a challenge to the people of the second district in creating more jobs. “By June, we must be able to utilize all facilities in order to provide skills training and development,” he said.