Interventions to IPs, former rebels continue

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 11, 2021): Interventions to IPs, former rebels continue

PRLEC logo taken from its Facebook page

The Poverty Reduction, Livelihood and Employment Cluster (PRLEC), together with its partner agencies nationwide continue to assist indigenous peoples (IPs) and former rebels.

PRLEC, which the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) chairs, has been going to far-flung communities in the country to empower its residents through livelihood and other skills training.

The PRLEC is also one of the clusters under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) that aims to develop self-reliant, productive, resilient and sustainable communities through harmonized and culturally responsive development programs.

Last August 31, TESDA Region VI, together with PRLEC-member agencies in Negros Occidental launched a project in two insurgency-cleared barangays in San Carlos City.

Dubbed as “Vamos sa Barangay Buluangan at Guadalupe para sa Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran,” TESDA will be conducting training on Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) NC I for 50 San Carloseños, 25 from each barangay.

In Region II, a total of 25 formal rebels and their wives in San Mariano, Isabela have started their training on Electrical Installation and Maintenance NC II and Cookery NC II last September 4.

The training is currently implemented under TESDA’s Training for Work Scholarship Program (TWSP) and Special Training for Employment Program (STEP).

Likewise, TESDA Isabela launched its Project IRIK or " Implementation of Resources for Isabeleños towards Key employment and livelihood as intervention" in the municipality of Jones last September 7.

A total of 125 residents from Barangays Napaliong, Minuri, Namnama, Villa Bello, Sta. Isabel and Sto Domingo have started their training on Shielded Metal Arc Welding NC I and Tailoring NC II.

TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña earlier said that the agency’s commitment is to provide interventions to help the country become insurgency-free by providing livelihood opportunities to those living in vulnerable areas.

“TESDA has various scholarship and livelihood programs for the beneficiaries such as members of the communist terrorist groups who decided to return to the government fold, residents of various geographically isolated and disadvantaged communities, including indigenous peoples in far-flung areas of the country,” he said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1159425