THE Tsuper Iskolar Program will offer free skills training courses to public utility vehicle (PUV) operators and drivers affected by the PUV Modernization Program (PUVMP) in Davao City. Among the training courses included are driving, speed limiter installation, automotive servicing, automotive engine rebuilding. However, scholars are still entitled to pick the Tesda course they want including those under different sectors such as agriculture and general infrastructure. During the press conference Friday, May 3, at the RTC-Korea-Philippines Vocational Training Center, Tibungco District, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the budget to be downloaded to Tesda is around P350 million for a year. The budget allotted for the city was not yet disclosed but Tugade assured all willing and interested participants to undergo skills training will be accommodated. “Nagapapasalamat ako sa mga drivers at operators na naniniwala sa ating gobyerno para sa ating modernization program. Kung wala silang kooperasyon, mahihirapan tayong ilunsad ito at magbigay ng kabuhayan,” Tugade said. The scholarship program ensures each beneficiary to get training support fund to cover food and transportation allowance of P350 per training day for a maximum of 35 days. Meanwhile, Tesda-Davao director Engineer Lorenzo Macapali said while they are waiting for the budget to be downloaded to the agency, they are currently profiling interested individuals including former rebels and indigenous people (IP). Macapili said the program will not end in skills training because the direction is to extend necessary assistance to graduates, to land a job or have livelihood. During the training launch of the Tsuper Iskolar Friday, 283 former rebels, 470 drivers, and more than a hundred IPs participated.