TESDA urged to go into 'green skills' training

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Loren Legarda has urged the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to go into “green skills” training or environment-friendly programs such as recycling of waste and to give priority to the 558 fourth, fifth and sixth class municipalities. 

Legarda said the TESDA should start the program in Metro Manila where there has always been a lot of wastage of resources.

“We should hit two birds with one stone, ensure the equitable distribution of opportunities and wealth across all provinces, cities and municipalities in the country and in the process promote environmental protection,” she said.

She cited a water lily project where fronds and stems were made into slippers and a group of young women in their 20s from Ateneo who have been helping mothers in Payatas, Quezon City by teaching them how to recycle rags into fashionable bags now being sold in big department stores.

Legarda argued that the entry of TESDA into these types of programs would greatly help in bringing additional income to the poor communities, saying the examples she cited were made possible using minimal resources.

“They were able to do green skills without any help from the government and with almost no resources,” she said. “With TESDA as the skills development authority at the forefront of a waste recycling program, our garbage problems will be solved.”

During TESDA’s budget hearing held earlier this week, Legarda inquired about the agency’s updated status on the available and existing skills of people relative to their localities, resources and ongoing projects.

TESDA director general Joel Villanueva assured the senator that there has been a constant monitoring and support for self-employment programs, job creation and improvement of lives as envisioned by Republic Act 9509 or the Barangay Kabuhayan Act authored by Legarda.

“TESDA should coordinate with the Department of Trade and Industry especially with regards to its One Town-One Product program. There must be convergence of all the efforts of the different government entities and the private sector at the national and local levels,” she said.