By Ma. Cristina Arayata/PNA
MANILA — The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-National Capital Region (TESDA-NCR) will provide scholarship slots to tricycle drivers.
In an interview with the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Monday, Regional Director Conrado Bares explained that this is part of TESDA’s goal to reach more people, particularly the informal sector.
Initially, TESDA-NCR has tapped the NCR-Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Association (TODA) to benefit in this new initiative.
TESDA-NCR will initially allot 200 slots for them, Bares said.
While anyone is welcome to apply for TESDA’s scholarship, Bares explained that the difference is that TESDA has allotted sure slots for the tricycle drivers.
“We have set aside scholarship allocation for them. They will no longer need to look for available slots in (TESDA) schools near them,” he said.
He said TESDA-NCR will still need to sign a memorandum of agreement with NCR-TODA, but most likely, the provision of slots will begin by February.
“TODA members will identify who among them would benefit from the training, and what kind of training do they need,” he added.
Bares said that TESDA-NCR will also study and identify the courses suitable for the drivers.
TESDA, he said, offers more than 200 courses or qualifications. The driver will still be allowed to enroll in the any available course, even if it may not be among the courses that will be pre-selected by TESDA.
For this year, Bares said TESDA-NCR has no target yet as to how many drivers will be given sure slots within the year.
“TESDA-NCR was able to provide scholarships to more than 50,000 beneficiaries in 2017. We are expecting this figure to increase with this new initiative,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bares said he doesn’t know yet if this initiative will be extended to other drivers’ associations across the country.
He noted, however, that other TESDA regional offices have their own programs for the drivers.
“Together with the DOTr (Department of Transportation), some of our regional offices prioritize drivers affected by the PUV (public utility vehicle) modernization program,” Bares said.
The executive added that beneficiaries of this TESDA program with the DOTr are not just the drivers, but also their families.
“If for example, the driver has no time to enroll, his family members can avail of the scholarship,” Bares said.
