THE Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) will start the employment assistance and skills training for jeepney operators who will be affected by the implementation of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Cebu City.
The agency, together with the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (Tesda) and the City Government, is opening 550 slots for them.
There will be 17 courses to be offered.
The registration will start today and will last until Sept. 23.
“Applying does not mean they (jeepney operators) are foreclosed to any other mitigation measures that we can apply for the BRT project. Options like rerouting them can be done. Kani lang kay murag goodwill gesture ba,” said Atty. Rafael Yap, BRT Cebu project head.
Those who will apply for the program will be given a training allowance of P340 per day. However, it will only be given at the end of the training.
The training will prioritize jeepney operators for 22 routes that will be “adversely affected” once the P10.6 billion BRT project is implemented.
These routes are routes 04H, 06D, 06F, 07D, 09C, 09F, 09G, 09H, 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F, 10G, 10M, 11D, 12B, 12D, 12J, 12L, 12M, 14B and 14D.
Those who can’t join the training because of work can send a family member, up to second degree of consanguinity, Yap said.
Yap said this is just the first batch of employment assistance and skills training that will be given.
Courses
There are around 1,100 jeepney operators who will be affected by the BRT, a 16-kilometer project that will run from Barangay Bulacao to Barangay Talamban.
The courses being offered for this batch are driving (150 slots, 15 days training), shielded metal art welding (50 slots, 34 days), auto servicing (50 slots, 66 days), electrical maintenance (50 slots, 51 days), plumbing (25 slots, 21 days), masonry (25 slots, 33 days), carpentry (25 slots, 21 days) and contact center (25 slots, 18 days).
Other courses include housekeeping (25 slots, 55 days), bread and pastry production (25 days, 16 days), refrigeration and aircondition (25 slots, 26 days), hilot or wellness massage (25 slots, 18 days), cookery (25 slots, 40 days), computer systems servicing (25 slots, 35 days), bookkeeping (25 slots, 37 days), dressmaking (25 slots, 33 days) and food processing (25 slots, 10 days).
Yap said the courses were identified during their workshop with Tesda.
Limited
Due to the limited slots, the registration for the program is on a first come, first served basis.
Yap said that aside from the training allowance, successful participants will also receive kits to help them start on their own.
“We will also take note of them after their training, so if we can find opportunities for them to participate in the BRT, we will get them,” he said.
The budget for the training will come from DOTC.
Interested operators can go to the Cebu City Transportation Office at the second floor of the Ramos Market in Barangay Cogon Ramos.
They should bring photocopies of their birth certificate, certificate of public convenience of franchise or a deed of sale if the unit is sold and a 2x2 ID picture.
Those who will be sending representatives should submit a photocopy of their birth certificate and 2x2 ID picture. If married, a photocopy of their marriage contract is needed.
The employment assistance and skills training are part of the agreement between DOTC and Cebu City with Tesda.