TF ELCAC barangay residents air concerns on livelihood, connectivity, literacy

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 2, 2021): TF ELCAC barangay residents air concerns on livelihood, connectivity, literacy (By Ninfa Iluminada B. Quirante)

BORONGAN CITY, March 1 (PIA) -- Rural residents of the hinterland barangays of Pinanag-an and Baras share their concerns as the Poverty Reduction Livelihood and Employment Cluster (PRLEC) reached them last week.

The PRLE Cluster of the Provincial Task Force End Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF-ELCAC) sailed to the two distant baragays for hours to offer skills training and livelihood opportunities.

“Some of our people do not know how to read and write,” said Punong Barangay Nelly Andia, adding that if in the profiling forms will be filled up, she asked if there will there be paper works too in the skills training.

She said that these illiterates reached only the first grade and that through time they have not practiced the little learning they had.

“Nagdinidto naman la ini han ira uma, nanhingalimot na pag iskoyla. (They just worked in their farms, they forgot to go to school.)”

One relief though is they are sending their children to school, the village chief added.

Dr. Antonio Waniwan of TESDA understood the issue and said they can still join the training and will just use thumbmarks in the documents.

“What is important is they are willing to attend the duration of the training which lasts to 20 or more days.”

Brgy. Pinanag-an is a very remote barangay that can be reached through three hours of sailing through a motorized outrigger boat cruising the Suribao River.

Aside from the literacy challenge, locals have a few opportunities to earn, for food they depend on their upland rice, they have very low agriculture productivity, and that most only do menial and less paying jobs like copra making and quarrying.

“Pakabuhi, kinahanglan namon dinhi ha Baras,” said Punong Barangay Teresita Casimo in the Brgy. Baras leg of the consultation.

Like Pinanag-an, there is also the issue of connectivity, locals are worried that during rainy days, when the river swells they cannot reach the city proper to get food, milk for the young and medicines for the elderly.

The offer of TESDA who heads the PRLEC is a welcome event to the locals. They want to study dressmaking, swine production, poultry production, organic agriculture production and others.

With the skills training comes the learning and a daily allowance of P160, an internet allowance and a budget for health protocol like face mask and face shield.

The ‘allowance’ part gave the residents a chance for applause.

As to the DTI part, Ms Ruthelma Samonte offered assistance to budding entrepreneurs and technical assistance for product development.

The representatives of the Borongan City Government through Melba Casillano offered the ‘Dukwag Agrikultura’ services that offers financial assistance to farmers and fisherfolks.

The PRLEC headed by TESDA has done skills training in TF ELCAC focused barangays of Can-avid and Dolores towns last year. (nbq/PIA E. Samar)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1068216