GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 29 Nov) – The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is pushing for the development next year of another Provincial Training Center (PTC) in Surallah town, South Cotabato province.
TESDA Director General Secretary Isidro Lapeña said Friday the preparations are underway for the implementation of the project, which will be established within the Surallah Development Sports Complex.
Lapeña personally received in a simple ceremony on Friday morning the deed of donation for the 3,000-square-meter site from the municipal government, represented by Mayor Antonio Bendita.
“Since we already have a lot here, it will be easier for us to allocate a budget for the construction of the training center,” he said.
He said the establishment of the PTC is part of TESDA’s continuing efforts to expand the reach of its services, especially the free technical-vocational (tech-voc) trainings, and develop more high-skilled workers in the countryside.
Lapeña said it will mainly benefit residents of Surallah and nearby municipalities, which are part of the province’s upper valley area.
Bendita lauded TESDA for choosing their municipality as site of the province’s first-ever PTC.
“This will provide our constituents more access to more quality tech-voc trainings and usher in better livelihood opportunities as well,” he said.
The mayor assured that the municipal government will provide the necessary support to TESDA in the implementation of the project.
The Surallah PTC is one of the four that TESDA-12 had proposed for the region. TESDA opened in late September the first PTC in Malapatan, Sarangani province.
The construction of two other training centers is targeted to start next year in Lambayong town for Sultan Kudarat and Amas in Kidapawan City for North Cotabato.
Rafael Abrogar II, TESDA-12 director, said the PTCs will offer four to eight skills training programs focusing on the needs of local industries and companies, especially those engaged in construction.
These include driving, cookery, shielded metal arc welding, automotive repair, electrical installation maintenance, tile setting, carpentry, masonry, and electronic products assembly and servicing.
Aside from the PTCs, TESDA is also building a P150-million regional training center, dubbed TESDA-Soccsksargen Manpower Development Center, in Barangay Spring, Alabel town, Sarangani province. (MindaNews)
