DepEd, TESDA, LGUs to promote literacy, livelihood in Abra

By Maria Teresa B. Benas

Sunday 3rd of June 2012

BANGUED, Abra, June 3 (PIA) -- The Alternative Learning System (ALS) of the Department of Education (DepEd) continues to partner with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and local government units (LGU) to work together to promote literacy and livelihood for out-of-school youths and adults who have not finished their formal schooling in order to help them build their capacities to live a decent life and become more productive members of society.

The LGUs of Tayum and Pidigan have culminated another batch of completers for special short course program on massage therapy on May 29. A total of 38 trainees, 21 of whom are from Tayum and 17 are from Pidigan, graduated in hilot wellness or massage therapy.

Earlier, a total of 47 trainees from Tayum graduated in driving lessons.

In an interview with Nemesia Tauro, the District ALS Coordinator of DepEd-Tayum District, she said the training programs were a collaborative effort of the DepEd-ALS which is in charge of the organization, mobilization and social preparation of the trainees; the TESDA provides the trainers; the LGUs for the logistics support; and some counterparts from the communities particularly the trainees themselves.

Tayum mayor Placido Eduarte, Jr. provided for the training materials as well as the food of the trainers and the trainees in the hilot wellness program during the duration of the trainings. He also provided for the crude oil of the vehicles used during the driving lessons.

TESDA provided the honorarium of the trainers as well as the vehicles and all other equipment needed in the conduct of both training programs on the hilot wellness and the driving lesson.

The women of Brgy. Gaddani, Tayum provided the venue for the hilot wellness training program with the use of the Multi-Purpose Building of the Rural Improvement Club (RIC) in the said barangay.

The participants shouldered their own assessment fees and certificates as their counterpart. For the hilot wellness, the assessment fee is P200 per individual while the drivers paid P500. The certificates cost only P50 per individual graduate.

Meanwhile, efforts of the LGU-Tayum in providing an all-out support in terms of legislations and logistics to the ALS program of the DepEd in their municipality have earned for them Recognition from the DepEd-Cordillera. Mayor Eduarte, Jr., was awarded the Outstanding LGU in the Municipal Level Category and Brgy. Captain Victor Escalante of Brgy. Velasco, Tayum for the Barangay Level Category during the recent regional awarding of outstanding ALS implementers. (JDP/MTBB-PIA CAR Abra)