SAN JOSE De BUENAVISTA, Antique -- Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao on Friday told the 1,700 Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) trainees to use their tool kits for livelihood and not sell them for easy money.
Cadiao, who led the distribution of the tool kits with TESDA-Antique provincial director Jose Gerry M. Hallares, added that the trainees should be serious in taking up their new livelihood to be able to feed their families and help improve the economy of their home province.
“Today is going to change your lives,” the governor said.
She said the province, which used to be known only as a place of sugar migrants, will now have residents who have upgraded skills because of the TESDA training courses.
Cadiao added that with the tool kits, the trainees could go on self-employment because they would have something to use.
Meanwhile, Hallares said TESDA personnel will monitor the use of the tool kits, given TESDA’s experience that trainees in other provinces sell their tool kits.
He added that those who would be found using their skills and tool kits productively could avail of other training courses and assistance from TESDA.
Technical Education and Skills Development Supervising Specialist Jocelyn S. Gelpe said in an interview Thursday that TESDA-Antique has been allocated PHP26 million for the Special Training for Employment Program (STEP) and an additional PHP23 million for the tool kits.
She said a total of 3,610 recipients of the STEP across the province are taking various courses such as bread and cake baking, dressmaking, and shielded metal arc welding.
The 1,700 trainees, who were given tools such as oven, sewing machine, and equipment for welding were from southern Antiqu. The rest were from northern Antique who will receive their own kits at the Northern Antique Vocational School in Culasi town on April 25. (PNA)
