71 PWDs received diplomas

CEBU, Philippines - Around 71 persons with disabilities (PWDs) received their diplomas as they graduated from the Department of Social Welfare (DSWD) Area Vocational Rehabilitation Center 11 (AVRC) after proving their skills and potentials in massage and cooking among others. Training Center Superintendent Herminia Cabahug of the AVRC 11 hopes that the differently-abled graduates will be able to get better employment opportunities and compete with the growing demands in the market.

Of these number who graduated last week, 14 finished Therapeutic Massage, 9 in Consumer Electronics, 2 in Electronic Motor Repair , 14 in Computer Technology, 7 in Commercial Arts and Crafts, 9 in Basic Cosmetology, 8 in Commercial Cooking, 5 in Basic Sewing, 1 for Food Processing, and 2 in Furniture and Cabinet Making.

“I challenged the graduates to enhance their skills and capabilities and explore the bigger working world by availing of the wide variety of services and trainings designed by this Welfare Department and made available for them to compete with the growing demands and opportunities in the market,” Cabahug said.

Aside from their graduation certificates, nine outstanding trainees received training tools that would help them develop their skills namely: Olymer Adiva for Massage, Renen Naason for Consumer Electronics, Glicerio Escuadro for electronic Motor Repair, Melvin Rule for Commercial Arts and Crafts, Cherrylyn Linao for Computer Technology, Evelyn Taboada for Basic Cosmetology, Ryan Joseph Orrilaneda for Commercial Cooking, Roselo Dejan and Jesus Eyana for Furniture and Cabinet Making.

On the same occasion, the Department of Education (Dep Ed) also released the certificates of 29 trainees who have successfully passed the examination for the Alternative Learning System (ALS) both for Elementary and Secondary.

Of this number, 15 of them are blind.

The AVRC is a vocational training center operated and maintained by the DSWD since l974. It is serving persons with physical and social disabilities like the visually impaired, physically handicapped, negative hansenites, mentally challenged, released prisoners and other members of the disadvantaged sector.

The center aims to maximize the residual capacities of PWDs through assessment and guidance, social adjustment, medical, vocational training and placement services as well as bring maximum functioning of PWDs for their eventual integration into the community.

The facility also caters to all persons with disabilities from any age level who wishes to be trained on various working skills.

The center offers courses on Basic Cosmetology, Commercial Arts and Crafts, Basic Electronics, Therapeutic Massage, Dress and Apparel Technology, Electronic Motor Repair, Cabinet Making and Computer Technology. — (FREEMAN)