PB OKs institutionalizing Sugbo Kahanas Program

CEBU, Philippines — The Capitol’s skills-development program—Sugbo Kahanas—is now a step closer to being institutionalized after the Cebu Provincial Board on Monday approved on third and final reading a proposed ordinance institutionalizing the program.

The ordinance, authored by Board Member Glenn Anthony Soco, was crafted to assist Cebuanos “alleviate poverty” and to have “socio-economic development”.

“Sugbo kahanas promotes and provides various avenues to the economic livelihood and income generation options and opportunities. The ultimate objective is poverty alleviation and socio-economic development thus the program aimed to assist our fellow Cebuanos as life-long learners and productive members of the society,” said Soco.

Sugbo Kahanas is implemented in Cebu Province in partnership with the Technical Education Skills Development Authority Region VII (TESDA VII). The program now has a total of 11, 731 students since its launching in March 2021.

Currently, Sugbo Kahanas is in its third season with 3,599 students so far. In season one the program catered 4,329 Cebuanos while 3,803 were taught technical education and skills development during the second season.

TESDA Region VII will provide the Cebu Provincial Government with its TESDA accredited Technical Vocational Institution (TVI) and their corresponding Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) scholarship programs.

Under the said ordinance all qualified participants of Sugbo Kahanas will also undergo a pre- conference or Training Induction Program before starting the training, as well as a post-conference at the end of the training period.

A P100 million budget shall be allocated in every implementation of the said program.

Institutionalizing it means to improve the implementation of the said program with transparency, accountability, and efficiency.

Following the PB’s approval, the approved ordinance will be transmitted to the Office of the Governor for approval. — (FREEMAN)