Free training for Tacurong’s 50 OSYs

Fifty out-of-school youths (OSYs) in Tacurong City will start training for commercial cooking and housekeeping after the launching of the Cash for Training Program (C4TP) in the City on February 22, 2013.

Through the partnership of LGU-Tacurong and Technical Education Skills Development authority XII (TESDA), C4TP will be implemented to train disadvantaged youths for possible employment.
Twenty-five of the beneficiaries will undergo training on commercial cooking, and the remaining will be training for housekeeping. The former is under the wage-employment (trabaho) component, while the latter is under the project’s self-employment component (hanapbuhay). All 50 scholars will be trained by the Sultan Kudarat Educational Institution (SKEI), a TESDA-accredited school in the city.

Tacurong C4TP scholars were identified by the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD). Each scholar will receive assistance amounting to PhP20,000. This amount includes tuition/training fee, allowance, and tool kits for those who chose the self-employment component.

Scholars will also be aided in taking the assessment for National Certificate II (NC II) which will be helpful in finding jobs. Entrepreneurial trainings will also be conducted to help scholars put up their own business.
Brgy. Baras OSY Vergel P. Kilayco, 22, considers the program as a great privilege. “Tong nabal-an ko nga kasali ako sa project nga ini, nalipay guid ako. Sa karon, wala ko ginaobra pero sigurado ako pagkatapos sang training, makatrabaho na ako,” he said.

C4TP launching program in Tacurong was attended by the 50 scholars, TESDA XII Regional Director Zeus Ampuyas, TESDA XII C4TP Focal Person Jeanette Cortez, TESDA-SK DSWD XII Planning Officer Bebeth Mampin, OIC-Provincial Director Reynaldo Bernal, SKEI Administrator Dr. Soledad T. Eugenio, SP Committee Chair on Livelihood Rodrigo Jamorabon, SP Committee Chair on Education Ariel Ferdinand dela Cruz, and CSWD staff.

“We expect the scholars’ full dedication to finish this training. Everything is for free so what they are left to do is to actively participate and make the most of this opportunity [sic],” said Regional Director Ampuyas.

(Jezereel Louise C. Billano with report from Tacurong CSWD)