Cash for Training Program transforms dreamers to achievers

15 March 2014

A masseur. A manicurist. A mechanic. A welder. They hail from different places and have different specializations, but have a thing in common -- all are graduates of the government's Cash for Training Program (C4TP).

After finishing their respective courses and getting National Certificates, some have began offering their services to the community, while others have applied for jobs.

A joint program of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the C4TP has trained a total of 61,114 beneficiaries all over the country in its first year of implementation in 2013.

The training hopes to put its graduates into gainful employment or assist them start a business later on.

Rowena Payoran, Kristoffer Peralta, Mark Joseph Valentin and Angelika Malamion all finished the course on Wellness Massage as scholars of the C4TP.

Payoran, 26, who also took Performing Pedicure and Manicure, was a simple homemaker, but decided to avail of the training and work to augment the family's income.

Now a resident manicurist/masseur at a spa in Dagupan City, she earns P4,000 a month in salary. On her free days, she also does home service and earns between P5,000 and P6,000 every month.

"I want to work abroad, so I can save money and put up my own spa here in Dagupan," she said.

As a way of giving back to her community, Payoran offers free massage services, especially to the elderly. She said she also pays her taxes to the government.

Peralta, 21, who hails from Pangasinan, took up Electrical Engineering but did not finish it because of financial difficulties.

"I thought I need to persist and try out something that would bring out my best skill. Through this scholarship, I found out I can be a good masseur," he said.

Peralta now earns around P7,600 every month for doing home service. With this, he said he was able to support the needs of his family.

Malamion of La Union and Valentin of Ilocos Sur were encouraged by friends to apply for the C4TP scholarship, a decision that they said was life-changing.

Their experience proved that each has a skill that can be tapped and honed for productive use.

Randy Flor Duot, 26, is one of the C4TP beneficiaries in the province of Ilocos Sur. He finished Motorcylce/Small Engine Servicing and immediately ventured into doing repair works on motorcycles and farm implements such as water pumps.

With Duot around, the community now has a handyman who they could always call for motor repair and small engine services.

James Pambid, 24, of Ilocos Norte finished Shielded Metal Arc Welding, passed the assessment and was given the National Certificate. He is now actively looking for a job, and does welding jobs on steel roofing while awaiting his fate. This gives him a daily earning of P400.

The C4TP has been an access point for the youth to gain skills and use them to improve their lives and their families.

Of the number of graduates (61,114), a total of 39,518 or 65 percent are now salaried employees or are self-employed.

DWSD poured in P1.3 billion for the program, while TESDA, through its 123 administered schools and training centers and partner public and private technical vocational institutions, conducted the skills training and provided post-training assistance to the beneficiaries.

Ms.Angelika Malamion  renders manicure and pedicure services at Half Salon in San Gabriel, La Union, after graduating under TESDA's Cash for Training Program

Kristoffer Peralta, a graduate of TESDA's Wellness Massage course under the Cash for Training Program, now earns from doing home service massages within their community.

Rowena Payoran currently works as a masseurs at Royal Spa after graduating from the Wellness Massage course under TESDA's Cash for Training Program.