DSWD offers training program scholarships for differently-abled

Persons with Disabilities are encouraged to avail of the scholarship for training programs which would assure them direct employment after graduation.

In today's 15th year commemoration of the signing into law of the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, or Republic Act 7277, the Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 is encouraging all interested PWDs to avail of the free courses exclusively for them offered through the Technical Education Skills and Development Administration.

Shalaine Lucero, disabilities social welfare specialist of the DSWD-7, said there are only a few PWD-takers of the scholarships since its implementation late last year.

Lucero said this may be due to "lesser knowledge of the concerned or that their families may not be open to let them take the training."

However, having them all avail of the training is very beneficial for the PWDs aside from the fact that they will be earning afterwards, she said.

Lucero added that 1,000 PWDs are set to benefit from the PGMA Training for Work Scholarship Project for Persons with Disabilities.

There are four courses under the PGMA-TWSP identified by TESDA and the Department of Labor and Employment as current in-demand jobs.

These include training as medical transcriptionists, call center agents, welders and slaughterers, Lucero said.

For a PWD to qualify for the training on call center agent and medical transcription, one must be a high school graduate.

The PGMA-Training for Work Scholarship Project is part of the P5-million fund released by President Arroyo provided for the mainstreaming of persons with disabilities in the labor force.

The program is implemented by the DSWD, TESDA and the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Job Creation as lead agency.

DSWD was mandated to identify PWDs and to refer them to TESDA. Lucero said TESDA can, however, directly assess a PWD other than those referred by DSWD.

DSWD will also monitor and evaluate the program as well as coordinate with local government units and to orient the identified beneficiaries.

On the other hand, TESDA will allocate and provide the 1,000 PGMA-TWSP scholarship certificates to qualified applicants and assist in career counseling including the conduct of pre and post training tests.

Of the 132 LGUs in the Visayas, there are around 70,000 PWDs registered under the Department of Health while there are 84,707 listed under the 2000 Census of the National Statistics Office. - Ferliza C. Contratista/MEEV