Displaced workers told to grab opportunities
Regional Director Manuel Roldan Department of Labor and Employment 6 urged displaced workers in Brgy. Camambugan, Sta. Barbara to grab the opportunities being offered to them by the training-cum-production on engineered bamboo products provided by DOLE.
“Value and give time to this training provided for you, for opportunity knocks only once, and if you won’t grab this chance, you might lose it, this is the opportunity for you,” Roldan said, during the opening of the training on September 10 held at the Bamboza Engineered Bamboo Technology Plant.
Roldan told the beneficiaries that many remain unemployed in the country despite the efforts of the government to address the unemployment problem, citing that in Region 6 alone, there are about 232,000 unemployed as of July 2009.
The five-day training equipped the 48 participants, whose sources of livelihood were affected by the construction of the Iloilo Airport, with technical skills in engineered bamboo production.
Under the project, beneficiaries will also be provided with tools, equipment and raw materials to start-off their venture. Their processed semi-finished bamboo products will be sold to Bamboza Engineered Bamboo Technology Plant for processing into engineered or laminated bamboo floor boards, floor tiles, furniture components, and sawali boards.
Beneficiaries can also buy the engineered bamboo from Bamboza at a lower price if they opt to produce quality furniture components.
Mayor Dennis Superficial assured the beneficiaries of local government support to the project.
Sta. Barbara along with Cabatuan and Maasin are considered bamboo producing municipalities in the province where majority of farmers are into backyard or bamboo plantation.*PIA
