MORE than 15,000 Ilonggos have already enlisted to take part in the Barangay Kasanayan Para sa Kabuhayan at Kapayapaan (BKPKK) program of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).
BKPKK program is part of the two-pronged strategy in poverty reduction of the Duterte administration that aims to bring technical and vocational education and training (TVET) services to beneficiaries in the rural areas.
Last week of August this year, Tesda-Iloilo has started the conduct of a skill mapping in all the villages of the province.
Survey forms were distributed to villages officials for them to fill-up the names of their constituents and the skills they needed, and those who would like to avail of the skills training program being offered by the government and implemented by Tesda.
As of November 4, some 15,745 have already enlisted to be included in the program from the 1,901 villages of the province.
Respondents have 16 sectors to choose from on the survey form that include (1) Agri-Fishery, (2) Automotive and Land Transport, (3) Construction, (4) Electronics, (5) Garments, (6) Health, Social and Other Community Development Services, (7) Heat, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration, (8) Information and Community Technology, (9) Furniture, (10) Maritime, (11) Metals and Engineering, (12) Processed Food and Beverages, (13) Tourism, (14) Wholesale and Retail Trading, (15) Non-TVET, and others.
Preliminary results of the survey indicated that enlisters numbering to around 2,845 would like to avail of the Driving National Certificate (NC) II course under the Automotive and Land Transport sector.
Other top four preferred qualifications are Automotive Service NC II, Cookery NC II, Dressmaking NC II, and Shielded Metal Arc Welding NC I.
Tesda Director General Guiling Mamondiong, who personally led the launching of the program in this part of the country on October 19, said some 32,000 scholarship slots will be made available for Western Visayas under the program.
He said through the program, the agency intends to create jobs in the barangays as part of their efforts to help alleviate poverty.
The program’s implementation in 2017 got a boost when representatives of local government units, partner agencies and other stakeholders in the region have committed their support as they signed a manifesto of commitment during the regional launch.
Some of the notable persons who signed the manifesto included Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, Department of Social Welfare and Development-Western Visayas Director Rebecca Geamala and Department of Health Assistant Regional Director Ma. Paz Corrales, among others. (PIA)