LA TRINIDAD, BENGUET -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) has conducted series of skills training to 85 individuals coming from poor families in Benguet.

The skills training is in collaboration with Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) and BVS Colleges.

Thirty-five individuals graduated from Shielded Metal Arc Welding, twenty five for wheel loader and hydraulic excavation, and twenty five for driving and auto servicing. The graduates were able to pass the TESDA assessment qualifying them to their respective certifications.

“These individuals are from Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program households. Aside from the grants that their families receive from the Pantawid Program, we have conducted this training to give them the skills for their livelihood,” DSWD-CAR OIC regional director Janet Armas shared.

"Congratulations for acquiring new skills. Dayta nga baro nga kaba elan nga na adal you ket isu ti mangited empowerment kadayo tapnu magun ud you ti panag progreso you ken iti panag progreso iti pamilya yo,” Armas added.

SLP Project Development Officer Jesper Paquito facilitated the training which was conducted on August 29 to 5 October 2016 at BVS College.

“SLP won’t stop here. The program will continue training and educating our beneficiaries to fight poverty; the program is also doing its best to link and employ the graduates with our external partners”, SLP External Relations Officer Florence Baguilat shared.

“We thank the Department of Social Welfare and Development for giving us hope, a chance to be competent and involved, to be in the workforce and to be of help to our family” Shielded Metal Arc Welding graduate Eleanor Casilen said.

Aside from the training, the SLP will also provide pre-employment assistance to the graduates amounting to P5,000 which they can use while they are in search for a job.

The SLP is a community-based capacity building program of the government that seeks to improve the socio-economic capacity of the poor to enhance access to basic social services and improve their standard of living. (Mark Erik King Guanzon/DSWD–CAR)