To empower the indigent indigenous peoples in Zamboanga City covered by Modified Conditional Cash Transfer (MCCT) under Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) facilitated a 15-day skills training.

A total of 784 beneficiaries have received their certificates of completion and starter kits for various courses enrolled such as Domestic Work, Food Processing, Electrical Installation and Maintenance, and Motorcycle and Small Engine Servicing.

“This is to empower our clients, especially the MCCT-IPs, by capacitating them with practical skills for their possible employment,” says MCCT-IP Focal of Pantawid Pamilya, Germiah Bongabong.

The department has allocated 20,000 pesos for each beneficiary or a total of 15,680,000 million pesos budget for this program which covers training costs, allowances, and starter kits for the beneficiaries.

The training was conducted through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), a capacity building program under DSWD that provides opportunities to indigent individuals through employment facilitation and/or skills training. The said training and completion rites were made possible through 1 and ALL Technical Institute, Inc.

TESDA will soon schedule an assessment for national certification of the abovementioned courses.

Guaranteed employment facilitation will be provided by the service provider for the graduates of Domestic Work while Micro-Enterprise facilitation will be provided by the SLP for the graduates of Motorcycle and Small Engine Servicing, and Electrical Installation.

During the graduation, DSWD-9 Regional Director, Atty. Araceli F. Solamillo inspired the graduates by encouraging them to do more as empowered citizens of the society.

“Tayo ay empowered IPs. Ibig sabihin may kakayahan tayong mapagtagumpayan ang anumang hirap ng buhay. Sana ay gamitin natin itong mga natutunan natin dito sa skills training upang maabot ang ating mga pangarap sa buhay habang sinisikap nating mapanatili ang ganda ng ating kultura at tribo sa pagtutulungan ninyo at ng mapagkalingang serbisyo ng DSWD. (We are empowered IPs which means that we have the strength to combat life’s difficulties. I hope that we will be able to use the skills that we have acquired in this training to achieve our aspirations in life while we nurture the beauty of our culture and tribes with your coordination and the DSWD),” Solamillo said.