THE CITY government will sign a memorandum of agreement with Aboitiz Foundation Inc. and Davao Light and Power Company to provide electrician skills training under Project Barangay Electrician Skills Training (BEST).
The 21st City Council approved an ordinance on Tuesday authorizing the city mayor to sign the agreement with Aboitiz Foundation Inc. and Davao Light and Power Company on the said project.
Fermin Edillon, Davao Light Reputation Enhancement Department head, said the project is a community-based training program to equip beneficiaries on basic electrician skills.
Davao Light has partnered with the city government through Peace 911 to identify the beneficiaries for the project.
The training will prioritize former rebels or their family members upon the recommendation of the barangays.
“During our consultative meeting, we found that one of the needs of the FRs is skills training, so being in the power industry, the electrician skills training is what we can offer,” Edillon said in an interview during the 21st City Council regular session on Tuesday.
Aside from FRs, the farm workers are also considered beneficiaries to augment their livelihood during the off-cropping season.
“One of the objectives of the project is to ensure there are barangay-based skilled electricians in far-flung communities so that there are home-grown skilled workers the community can tap,” Edillon said.
The project is in cooperation with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority XI, which will provide the training and assessment afterwards.
Following the assessment, the beneficiaries will be able to secure a National Certificate II and be ready for employment.
“If they secure the NC II they are ready for employment or do freelancing to augment their livelihood,” he said.
The Aboitiz Foundation earmarked P1.5 million for the project to train 60 beneficiaries for three batches. Project BEST already produced 168 TESDA-certified electricians when it launched in 2012, but stopped during the pandemic.
Photo courtesy of Aboitiz Foundation on e.Lab project
