More Catandunganons will have access to the services of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), with the inauguration of its Provincial Training Center last week in Baras town.
Governor Joseph C. Cua and other provincial and municipal officials joined Baras Mayor Jose Paolo P. Teves III and TESDA Masbate Provincial Director Nomer M. Pascual, who represented Acting Regional Director Ruth Dayawen, in ceremonial ribbon cutting and blessing of the building last March 15, 2023.
Also present were PBM Robert Fernandez, Virac Mayor Samuel Laynes, Viga Mayor Emeterio Tarin, Pandan Vice Mayor Eric Rodriguez and Baras Vice Mayor Rico Tating and members of the municipal council.
The training center is in barangay San Lorenzo and built on land granted to TESDA by LGU-Baras for the construction of the said facility.
According to Acting RD Dayawen, it would help TESDA provide relevant, efficient, accessible and high quality technical and vocational training and expand its reach, especially in offering more training programs in the province.
“Aside from many skills trainings that maybe hosted in this training center, various activities connected to the physical and mental development of our target beneficiaries in the locality maybe undertaken,” she stressed.
The TESDA Bicol chief said the edifice will be a witness to the transformation of learners from being textbook students to being a successful worker or owner of his or her own company.
On behalf of TESDA Director General Danilo Cruz, she expressed the agency’s gratitude to all those who helped in the establishment of the PTC.
In response, TGP Rep, Jose Teves Jr., in a recorded message, reiterated his full support to the advocacies of TESDA and whatever it needs to assist the people in their livelihood.
His son, Mayor Teves, cited the many problems that attended the realization of the training center, from the acquisition of the lot, which was transferred from DepEd, to the construction itself.
He disclosed that TESDA’s community-based trainings saw a total of 539 graduates in 2022 while scholarship grants were given to 216 enrollees in construction painting, driving, masonry and organic agriculture production.
In his message, Gov. Cua recalled that he thought the project would not be realized, as he had wanted it to be installed in Virac but did not push through due to documentary and political issues.
He called on the two representatives from the province to lobby for more funds for TESDA training programs that would benefit the jobless and out-of-school youth, citing the government’s difficulty in hiring skilled workers without NC-II certificates from TESDA.