Taguig City - A total of 581 trainees from three Sitios in Barangay Camagong, Nasipit, Agusan del Norte have finished skills training from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña personally handed out Certificate of Training Completion to the graduates from Sitios Hinandayan, Mimbahandi and Salaysayon during his visit there last April 13.

In Sitio Hinandayan, a total of 161 successful trainees received training certificates while 277 graduates received the same certificates in Sitio Mimbahandi, and in Sitio Salaysayon, a total of 143 trainees were conferred graduates.

Barangay Camagong is a Poverty Reduction, Livelihood and Employment Cluster (PRLEC) priority Barangay. TESDA, as the lead agency of the PRLEC of National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has been going to far-flung communities in the country to empower its residents through livelihood and other skills training.

In his message, Lapeña emphasized that the skills obtained by the graduates can be their passports to employment or livelihood.


Lapeña added that the government has high hopes that this will serve as a way to transform the lives of every resident in Brgy. Camagong.

“You can guarantee that the knowledge and skills you obtained from the trainings will be useful … Wherever you will go, you will always bring with you the skills you have now,” Lapeña said noting that these new skills will surely empower the graduates and make them competitive as they search for jobs.

Lapeña likewise directed TESDA-Agusan del Norte Provincial Director Rey Cueva to provide toolkits for 67 graduates who were trained in bakery production for them to make use of their newly-acquired skills.

For another 67 graduates of Small Engine Repair and Maintenance, Lapeña vowed that these graduates will be given a livelihood opportunity by means of putting up a repair and maintenance shop.


“Aside from providing livelihood opportunity to these graduates, the people of Brgy. Camagong can avail of its services without going to Nasipit proper,” Lapeña added.

Meanwhile, in Sitio Salaysayon, Lapeña noted that there is a need for the local residents to have electricity. He assured that the 29 graduates in Basic Solar Power Installation will be given an opportunity to apply what they have learned so that solar power will be installed in the area.

Lapeña likewise pledged that TESDA will also train the community in agri-crop production to ensure that there will be a steady supply of food for the families in the area.

“The Department of Agriculture (DA) through their attached agencies like the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) will assist us in providing you with the skills needed,” he said.

Also present during the activity were TESDA Deputy Director General for TESD Operations Lina Sarmiento, Chief-of-Staff Dir. Juliet Orozco, TESDA-Caraga Regional Director Tarhata Mapandi, Agusan del Norte Governor Dale Corvera, and Nasipit Municipal Mayor Enrico Corvera.

Lapeña also had graced the launching and ribbon-cutting of Busilak Enterprise Village in Sitio Mimbahandi which is a PRLEC project of Agusan del Norte that aims to provide livelihood opportunities to those members of the Indigenous Cultural Communities of Mimbahandi

Meanwhile, on April 14, Lapeña visited TESDA-Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte Provincial Training Center (PTC) and TESDA-Surigao del Norte Provincial Office to assess what is needed there to improve the agency’s program. ###