TRAINING on organic farming is expected to get a huge boost in the town of Kapangan following the groundbreaking ceremony of a three-story building of the Benguet Provincial Training Center (PTC).

The building, worth P10 million sourced out by Benguet legislative caretaker Eric Go Yap, will be built in a 300-square-meter area under a usufruct agreement with the municipality for 25 years.

The training center, aside from equipping farmers with technical skills on agricultural production, will also be a big help especially to young married couples and out-of-school youth.

Mayor Manny Fermin said this will be an opportunity for them to go back to school and avail themselves of Tesda's scholarship program with daily allowance provided during the pandemic.

Leading the groundbreaking were Tesda Secretary Isidro Lapeña, Tesda-CAR Director Dante Navarro, and Tesda-Benguet Director Vilma Cabrera.

Joining the Tesda officials were Yap, Governor Melchor Diclas, Vice Governor Johnny Waguis, Fermin, ViceMayor Mayo Eslay, and other officials.

During the ground breaking, the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) on Wheels program was also launched in the municipality.

The TVET on Wheels project is designed to deliver skills training in the different municipalities of Benguet which is a partnership through the effort of Tesda and the office of Yap.

The TVET on Wheels or the mobile training lab is the government's response to the inadequate access of beneficiaries, thus bringing skills training program to remote areas that would increase their opportunities for employment.

Mobile training labs are facilities that can be easily transported from community to community within the province.

The concept is a mobile training utilizing a bus in areas where there are requests across municipalities and barangays accessible to the vehicle. With a trainer on board, the bus will be equipped with equipment and facilities for hands-on training.

Cabrera said the launching in Kapangan spells out the desire of the Tesda, Benguet and Kapangan officials to empower citizens of the province with skills trainings. (SunStar Baguio)