TESDA sets P7.65 M for 8 Cordillera NPA-influenced sites

By Carlito Dar

BAGUIO CITY --The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority – Cordillera, in support to the whole-of-nation approach to end local communist armed conflict, is bringing technical-vocational and skills development training and other programs to identified ELCAC barangays in the region.
    TESDA–CAR regional director Dante Navarro, in a media forum here, reported   that their office has allotted around P7.65 million for the skills training and livelihood programs for 445 target beneficiaries in eight ELCAC barangays in Kalinga, Mountain Province and Abra.
    ELCAC areas are considered New People’s Army-influenced areas.   
    TESDA  has  “Project Kalinga, kapwa ko lingcod alay”  in  barangay Balabag in Rizal,  Kalinga and  Project ESEK (Environmental sustainability and ecological kinetics ) in Tamboan in  Besao, Mountain Province to benefit 145 members of indigenous people in the communities. 
    Under the “retooled community support program, 300   beneficiaries from barangays Buanao, Duldulao, Dulao and Bayabas in Malibcong   and barangays Naguilian and Ud – Udao of Sallapadan in Abra are also set to benefit from TVET trainings.
    Trainings are on carpentry, masonry, organic agriculture production, animal production, bread and pastry, shielded metal arc welding, electrical installation and maintenance, motorcycle/small engine service and maintenance and entrepreneurship.
    Similar programs are also set in  pre- identified GIDAs (geographically isolated and displaced areas) in Cordillera provinces of Apayao, Benguet and Ifugao, Navarro added.
    TESDA heads the poverty reduction, livelihood and employment cluster (PRLEC) of regional task force ELCAC.
Navarro said TESDA – CAR will hold training programs  especially for those whose  jobs or livelihoods  were affected by Covid– 19 in coordination with   partner tech – voc institutions and industry.
    For fiscal year 2021, TESDA – CAR’s budget included P2.89 million scholarship training expenses for private education student fund assistance, P25 million for training for work scholarship program, P17.27 million for rice extension service program  and P129.83 millionto implement Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.
    “In line with our mandate, TESDA is also into massive campaign for our scholarship program, Navarro added”. PIA Cordillera