Tacurong welders receive assistance package from LGU, TESDA

(June 12, 2012) If one has to consider giving skills training and livelihood assistance a complete package, then it was what the city government of Tacurong and Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) extended to the group of welders of Barangay San Emmanuel.

On June 8, members of the San Emmanuel SEA-K Welders Association opened a new shop that paved way for the opening of livelihood opportunities for them. Composed of more than twenty welders all residing in said barangay, they organized themselves right after they availed of the Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) training conducted by Local Government Unit (LGU)-Tacurong in coordination with TESDA.

After receiving the training, most of the welders underwent TESDA assessment for National Certificate 2 or NC2. All of those who took the assessment passed.

The office of the Community Training and Employment Coordinator (CTEC) under the Social Welfare and Development Office of the LGU also worked on a proposal that would give the welders livelihood project. CTE Coordinator Josephine Ubaldo submitted the proposal to Mayor Lina Montilla who subsequently approved for the allocation of P30 thousand.

Part of the assistance was used to construct a welding shop in barangay San Emmanuel and part was used to purchase a welding machine and other tools. The city government turned over said welding equipment during the opening of the shop on June 8.

During the inauguration ceremony of the newly-opened shop, Mayor Montilla said that she is expecting the success of its operation. And upon knowing also that ten member-welders have not yet taken the TESDA assessment, she pledged to personally shoulder their assessment fees.

Meanwhile, TESDA Provincial Director Rey Bernal, also in attendance to the event, announced that TESDA will give another set of welding machine and other tools to the welders of San Emmanuel. The welding tools are already in his office and about to be released.

In April, Mayor Montilla announced that she will allocate P1 Million for skills trainings and livelihood projects. On Friday, the mayor said that said fund is already included in the Supplemental Budget for the next quarter.

City Councilor Rodrigo Jamorabon, chairperson of Committee on Livelihood, said that more skills trainings are already in the pipeline for Tacurong residents because of the additional funds the mayor is funneling for the purpose. Among the trainings scheduled to be conducted are plumbing, tile-setting, dress-making and tailoring, welding, cellphone repair and others. (LGU-Tacurong-Information; Allan Freno)