TESDA brings special skills training in Itogon

ITOGON, Benguet -The David Bungallon, Technical Education along with the Forest and Skills Development House Assessment and Training Center Authority(TESDA) Inc. (FHATCI) signed brings in the Special a Memorandum of Skills Training Program Agreement (MOA) in this town to with Itogon Mayor capacitate typhoon Victorio Palangdan Ompong- affected individuals for the undertaking. with employable In line with skills as part TESDA’s technical – of quick response efforts vocational education of government and training slogan, for them to bounce “Skills ang Puhunan back and regain Ko”, the special skills self-sufficiency. training program

TESDA – Cordillera aims to help the regional director people of Itogon to Manuel Wong with have another means Baguio – Benguet of livelihood with Provincial Director small scale mining activities still banned in the Cordillera region, Wong said.

The training program covers technical – vocational trades of Carpentry NC II (24 training days), Masonry NC II (33 days), and Shielded Metal Arc Welding NCI (37 days), and Electrical Installation and Maintenance NC II (28 days) at the Itogon Municipal Training Center.

In partnership with Baguio – based FHATCI, is a 3 - day training on Basic Customer Service. The first batch of 65 trainees from Itogon already finished the course.

Under the TESDA – FHATCI Basic Customer Service training partnership, there are also industry partners such as Tiongsan Supermarket that will prioritize the hiring of the trainees.

Bungallon disclosed that TESDA will allocate around P2.5 million for the program which cover for free skills training

and assessment for TESDA national certification, provision of tool kits and training allowance to beneficiaries.

With the training program set to benefit an initial batch of 285 individuals, Wong assured that TESDA will continue to give them priorities in TESDA’s scholarship training programs for next year.

Palangdan, in response, expressed the municipality’s gratitude to TESDA for the skills training program that can provide Itogon residents employment and livelihood opportunities pending the approval of Minahang Bayan and the lifting of small scale mining ban in Itogon.

He is encouraging training beneficiaries to do their best since this is an opportunity for them to bounce back from their present situation as they re-establish their productive capacity or revitalize their livelihood.

Itogon is the hardesthit town by typhoon Ompong with scores of people dead and thousands displaced mostly due to landslides.