The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, as head of the Poverty Reduction Livelihood and Employment Cluster of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, led the launching of “Project Baslid” or Banago Alternative and Sustainable Livelihood Initiatives for Development, in Brgy. Banago, Bacolod City, recently.
Project Baslid aims to provide skills training and other livelihood interventions to 25 beneficiaries belonging to marginalized and vulnerable sector in the barangay, a press release from Tesda said.
Acting provincial director Romelia Nuezca said that under the project, Tesda will conduct Cookery NC II with the Regional Training Center-Talisay as the training provider.
This will be funded under the Training for Work Scholarship Program, with benefits such as free training cost, free assessment, internet allowance, one-year accident insurance, health and personal protective equipment allowance, and training support fund/allowance of P160 per day, Nuezca added.
The DILG, PNP, PIA, DSSD, DTI, DOST, DOLE, BFAR, city government of Bacolod, and Brgy. Banago are the partners of Tesda in implementing the project and they are encouraged to continue the capacity development support to the trainees, like more training, provision of tools, equipment, and skills and business improvement support.
Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran lauded Tesda for its effort as the chair of PRLEC. In his speech, he told the beneficiaries his secret to success and emphasized the importance of the word of honor in gaining the trust of business partners. “Start small but think big,” he added.
Tesda 6 regional director Jerry Tizon, in his message read by Nuezca, said that Tesda is very willing to extend its hands to aid those who need the agency’s help the most.
“Tesda tries its best to be more responsive to the needs of our kababayans wherever they may be. It is our aim to provide enhancement and capability training to create sustainable livelihood for the likes of you,” Tizon added.
Mijares thanked Tesda and its partners for being the channel of blessings for the barangay. He said that the status of Banago as an insurgency-cleared barangay, based on the record of the DILG, has opened many opportunities for its residents, the press release said.
He said the barangay will provide a service vehicle to the beneficiaries for the duration of the training in Talisay.
Other guests at the launching were Col. Manuel Placido, Bacolod City Police Office chief, Essa Kathleen Dela Cruz of the Provincial Fisheries Office, Yulee Adan Salvarita of DOLE, Lorenzo Lambatin – PIA, Rebecca Balicas, Bacolod City PESO manager, and Ma. Joy Maredith Madayag, city director of DILG Bacolod.
A pledge of support and cooperation was signed by the partner government offices as a manifestation of their support to Project Baslid, the press release added.*
