By Erwin Nicavera/PNA
BACOLOD CITY — Negrense labor leader, Wennie Sancho, welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte’s signing of the law mandating free access to technical-vocational education, saying it could provide gainful employment and boost productivity among the youth.
“The alternative livelihood program will motivate the youth to apply for opportunities offered by the government rather than becoming liabilities to their families,” he said.
Sancho, secretary-general of the General Alliance of Workers Association, said Thursday the program would keep the youth away from vices, such as drug addiction.
Last February 22, Duterte signed Republic Act 11230 or the Tulong-Trabaho Act, to address job-skills mismatch and unemployment in the country.
The law orders the creation of the Tulong-Trabaho Fund that will grant qualified recipients’ access to Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs through the full payment of the selected programs’ training fees and additional financial assistance.
The assistance includes transportation allowance and laboratory fees.
It is available to any person at least 15 years old, who is not in school, not in training and unemployed, as well as employed workers who intend to develop and expand their current skills and training.
Sancho, who also represents the workers in the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Western Visayas, said the labor sector is optimistic that the law would enhance the technical and vocational skills of workers employed along this area.
“Some companies are not capable of providing these development trainings thus, it would be an incentive for them and employees, as well to be trained and improve productivity in the workplace,” he added.
