DOING THE FIST BUMP, Sec. Isidro Lapeña of TESDA hands over to CSHCI scholar Mark Anthony Arcilla an envelope containing his training support allowance after seven days of training in Carpentry NCII. He also received GI sheets and roofing nails as assistance.
Following an inspection of school facilities damaged by the recent typhoon, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Isidro Lapeña has advised the management of the Cabugao School of Handicraft and Cottage Industries (CSHCI) to introduce more technical-vocational courses in its offering and maximize its scholarship slots.
The TESDA chief’s encouragement was made during his overnight visit to Catanduanes to see for himself the devastation wrought by typhoon Rolly, award construction materials and training support allowance to 25 beneficiaries of CSHCI’s post-typhoon intervention project and address officials and employees of the school.
Sec. Lapeña said he has authorized all TESDA-administered schools to maximize their scholarship program’s absorptive capacity as well as their course offerings.
“I will leave it to the administrator to decide what construction-related and other courses to offer,” he added, pointing out that in areas under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) like Catanduanes, the TESDA schools can practically offer all training courses as long as minimum health protocols are observed.
The central office will provide support for the repair of damaged school facilities through materials, with the work to be done by trainees via the training-cum-production scheme, he said further.
He said that an advance party has already validated the report of damages as well as the needs of the school, with its goal to get it back to full operation.
Lapeña bared that CSHCI has an unimplemented P26 million allotment for tech-voc scholarships, which can be a source of savings from which the school can get funds to improve its facilities or even buy a service vehicle.
During his dialogue with officials and employees in the presence of Governor Joseph Cua and Provincial Board Member Edwin Tanael as well as representatives of Cong. Hector Sanchez and Cong. Jose Teves Jr. and other stakeholders, the TESDA director general said that 60 provincial training centers will be established next year, including one in Catanduanes that will serve as the training arm of the provincial office.
The training center will be run by seven permanent staff and will bring its services to far-flung areas including 11 priority barangays in the island identified by the TESDA provincial office.
TESDA has identified 822 such villages, including communities of Indigenous Peoples (IP), as Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) targeted for development.
He disclosed that he decide to visit the school after hearing school administrator Elpidio Tuboro report on the typhoon damage during the on-line General Directorate Conference with regional directors and provincial directors.
“I am glad to see the improvement within two to three weeks,” Lapeña said, as he lauded the management for carrying out the work with the assistance of 25 typhoon victims who availed of the scholarship in Carpentry NC-II.
Earlier, he awarded construction materials consisting of corrugated GI sheets and roofing nails to the graduates as well as the Training Support Allowance of P160 per day for the entire seven-day duration of the training from Nov. 21 to 29, 2020.
He urged them to use the materials and the cash to repair and improve their homes and to utilize the skill they acquired not only in earning income for their families but also in helping their community.
With the director general during his visit to CSHCI were Deputy DG for TESD Operation Lina Sarmiento, Regional Director Elmer Talavera and acting PD Evelyn Gianan.