Capiceño is country's most outstanding construction mason
ROXAS CITY – A mason worker from Jamindan, Capiz has added luster to the development battlecry of their lady town mayor Ethel R. Jinon of "SHINING JAMINDAN" by winning the national award for most outstanding mason in the country's construction industry during a competition held recently in Metro Manila.
Forty-three year-old Rodante Andres bested 10 other masons from Luzon, Mindanao and other regions of the Visayas in the competition sponsored by Holcim Philippines in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Philippine Construction Association (PCA) and Association of Construction and Informal Workers (ACIW).
Jamindan Community Development Information Officer Norma Chavez said Mayor Jinon is all praise for Andres and his remarkable achievement that brought pride and honor to their community.
The municipality is the site of the headquarters of the 3rdInfantry Division of the Philippine Army (PA), the biggest of its kind in the country.
TESDA public information officer Julie Baraquia said their provincial office here headed by Provincial Director Victor Gallego felt the same about Andres and his feat. TESDA has a training program for masons who are involved in construction works using concrete materials.
Andres is a farmer with five children. He underwent a training on masonry conducted by TESDA and ACIW in 2007 with zero knowledge about the trade. Later, he joined the laborers' pool for various infrastructure projects of their local government unit wherein he was able to hone his masonry skills.
His quality of workmanship and good attitudes won the nod of trainors from TESDA and ACIW who visited their municipality to evaluate the performance of their trainees and who endorsed him as candidate for the regional competition in Western Visayas in November 2008.
After winning the regional contest, he represented the region in the national level held in January of this year. His total prizes from both regional and national competitions reached P125, 000.00 plus trophies.
As national winner, Andres also brought home a scholarship grant from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for his children and a certificate of achievement from ACIW and Holcim that entitled him to special membership privileges to the mutual aid and skills training program of said organizations.
Chavez said their municipal government has been alloting funds for skills training programs to help beneficiaries find jobs and sources of livelihood in support to the national program of President Arroyo especially amidst the global economic slowdown.
The achievement of the Jamindan mason is a realization of President Arroyo's goal to develop the skills of Filipino workers to suit them with the needs of the industries at home and abroad. (PIA/Norma Chavez-Jamindan CDIO)