Lapeña leads groundbreaking of two TESDA Provincial Training Centers in SOCCSKSARGEN

04 December 2020
TAGUIG CITY- Two provinces of Region XII or the SOCCSKSARGEN Region are about to have their own provincial training centers (PTCs) as Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Secretary Isidro Lapeña personally spearheaded this week the groundbreaking ceremony of both facilities.

Together with TESDA Deputy Director General for Operations Lina Sarmiento, TESDA Region XII Director Rafael Abrogar, Mayor Antonio Bendita, Lapeña led the groundbreaking ceremony of a TESDA Provincial Training Center in Surallah, South Cotabato on Wednesday.

Surallah-LGU donated 3,000 square meters of lot for the construction of South Cotabato Provincial Training Center which was just awarded last month.

The following day, the TESDA Chief also fulfilled the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to establish a TESDA Provincial Training Center in Pigcawayan, Cotabato Province by leading another groundbreaking ceremony.

In his speech, Secretary Lapeña thanked the local officials of Surallah, South Cotabato and Pigcawayan, Cotabato for immediately providing the lots where each PTC will be constructed.

"As you can see, we are still about to build the physical facility. However, the people who will be working here, the trainers and administrators, are ready to empower the people of this province," he said.

Lapeña also added that TESDA has been aiming to build a PTC in every province to bring skills training closer to remote communities in the country.

In Pigcawayan, several scholars are currently being trained in Electrical Installation and Management, Cookery, Agri-crop Production, Contact Tracing, and Bookkeeping while training on Masonry and Carpentry have also started in Surallah. Apart from the free training, the scholars also receive allowances.

The TESDA chief has authorized earlier the release of a Php600,000 worth of the agency's budget to build a four-bay training facility in Pigcawayan while the PTC is still being built.

Pigcawayan-LGU donated 10,000 square meters of lot for the construction of Cotabato Provincial Training Center and was just awarded to TESDA February this year after Lapeña’s first visit to the said town.

Both PTCs are expected to be finished in a year or less.

Photos from the groundbreaking ceremony in Surallah, South Cotabato