ILOILO CITY -- The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in Region 6 has awarded scholarships to a sister and a niece of slain overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) Joanna Daniela Demafelis.
TESDA-6 Regional Director Florencio Sunico Jr. said the scholarship is a package of free training, assessment and monthly stipend.
He added that they could also extend free accommodation if the scholar may wish to take his TESDA course in any of their centers in Iloilo City.
“They could already start this June,” Sunico said.
Aside from the scholarship, Sunico assured that they will also help facilitate the training of Joanna’s family members who will finish their TESDA courses and assist them in linking to job opportunities so they could work immediately.
But he clarified that any other interested members of the family of Joanna could request from their office additional scholarship if they want to avail.
The scholarship was among the commitment of President Rodrigo R. Duterte to the Demafelis family during his visit to the wake of the slain OFW on Thursday at Barangay Ferraris, Sara, Iloilo.
Joanna is the sixth among her nine siblings. While the victim was only able to finish her secondary school at Sara National High School, only two of her siblings were able to reach college.
The victim went to Kuwait in 2014 to earn enough to rebuild their house and to finance the education of her youngest sister Joyce, a graduating criminology student, who was forced to stop studying last year.
The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has already turned over to the family PHP50,000 for the education of Joyce. The money is part of PHP600,000 financial assistance extended by OWWA. (PNA)
