8,536 INDIGENOUS PEOPLES GET FREE SKILLS TRAINING FROM TESDA

September 21, 2017
The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has given free skills training to 8,536 indigenous peoples (IPs) nationwide in an effort to uplift their lives.
 
TESDA Director General, Secretary Guiling “Gene” Mamondiong has said that free skills training is expected to improve their lives.

Of the total number of beneficiaries, Region 11 has the most number of trainees with 2,869 individuals who wanted to be equipped with necessary skills that would qualify them for work.
 
In second place is the Caraga Region with 1,669 IPs who got free skills training; Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) – 1,599; Region 12 – 810; Region 4A at 4B – 690; Region 1 – 343; Region 6 – 194; Region 5 – 173; Region 2 – 148; Region 10 – 25 and Region 8 with 16.
 
So far, the National Capital Region (NCR), Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Region 3 and Region 9 have not enlisted any IPs for the free skills training under TESDA.
 
Among the courses which the IPs availed of were perform haircutting services (COC), beauty care services nail care (NC II), bread making - leading to bread and pastry production (NC II), driving (NC II), hilot wellness massage (NC II), masonry (COC/NC II), carpentry (NC II), prepare cook hotmeal leading to cookery (NC II), shielded metal arc welding (NC I) and electrical installation and maintenance (NC II).
 
Mamondiong has said that he expects the number of IPs who want to avail of the free skills training to increase as they will not have the opportunity to work in the lowlands and use their skills.
 
Aside from IPs, other recipients of the free skills training from TESDA were 13,258 drugs dependents; 3,366 jail inmates and their respective families; and 34,467 women from the marginalized sector.