The pilot batch of 58 newly graduates from 277 families former Taliptip residents had completed the 20-day training of their chosen courses and three days of entrepreneurship training which was supported by San Miguel Corporation.
On Wednesday, the commencement exercises were held at the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA)’s Regional Training Center Central Luzon (RTCCL) compound in Barangay Tabang Guiguinto, Bulacan.
The free training program was launched by the San Miguel Corporation (SMC), in cooperation with the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) for Bulacan residents ahead of the construction of its P734 billion Manila International Airport in Bulakan, Bulacan.
TESDA Director General Secretary Isidro Lapeña together with Region 3 TESDA regional director Jesus Fajardo and representatives of Bulacan local government units graces the graduation rites with the theme “Walk-through of TESDA-SMC Partnership as they led the distribution of National Certificate (NC) and livelihood starter kits to 58 newly graduate trainees during the presentation of the first batch/ beneficiaries of TESDA-SMC Conferment of Graduates.
The TESDA courses include the heavy equipment/hydraulic excavator course, shielded metal arc welding, electrical installation and maintenance, dressmaking, and cookery, TESDA Bulacan Provincial Director Engr. Jovencio Ferrer Jr said.
SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang in his message delivered by Atty Micaela Rosales, SMC Project Manager thanked TESDA for helping them in equipping the Bulacan residents with additional and new skills that will come in handy for those who want to work for them, or establish businesses that will cater not only to the airport but also to their respective communities as well.
“We wanted to make sure that this mega-project will foster wider prosperity for the country and help everyday Filipinos, especially our kababayans in Bulacan and nearby provinces, recover from the current crisis by creating and making good jobs available,” SMC president and COO Ramon S. Ang said.
The TESDA program, funded by SMC, was initially opened to former residents of Barangay Taliptip, future site of the airport, but will be opened to more Bulacan residents and those in nearly provinces in the coming months, to help displaced job-seekers The airport project, Ang said, would significantly help jumpstart the economy by sustaining and creating millions of jobs that would eventually encourage other private companies to start investing in critical projects and hiring more people.
“We need to work together to be able to ensure that the benefits of this airport will reach everyone and that it serves as an impetus for the country’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic,” Ang said.
The graduates Rosales added that they will be referred to SMC Aerocity, SMC’s company under SMC Infrastructure that handles the airport development wherein they will automatically be hired.
“We are also paying tribute to the Bulacan local officials, led by Bulacan Governor Daniel Fernando and Mayor Vergel Meneses for giving their full support to this project and showing malasakit. They were instrumental in relaying to us the concerns of their constituents and helping find ways to be more responsive to the needs of their people,” Ang said.
Ang said the airport project will also benefit many residents from provinces in Central Luzon as well as those Overseas Filipino Workers who had to return to the country in droves due to uncertain global economic conditions.“Local residents in Bulacan will be prioritized and we expect jobs and opportunities to be bountiful that we even see workers coming from all over Central Luzon, Metro Manila and as far as southern Luzon,” he said.
The construction of the first phase of the said Bulacan airport will employ more than 3,000 workers mostly from Bulacan province which will commence the construction next year for 5-6 years while the second phase will start constructing right after the first phase for another 9-10 years of construction, Atty Rosales said.
She also encouraged people particularly Bulakenyos to apply and get enrolled in the massive training program that is open for all is part of SMC’s job creation initiative to help Filipinos adapt to changing demands and benefit from opportunities that will emerge with the construction of the airport project in Bulacan.
Sec. Lapena for his part said, the training program aims to empower them in helping their respective families as he also encourage them to equip themselves in the preparation of the airport project. He also added that the National Certificate can be used for their application abroad.
Meanwhile, Geraldine Cunanan, one of the trainees and representative of the said first batch graduates said she learned the rudiments of dressmaking, from the choice of fabrics, measurements, up the actual sewing of garments, which she will apply when she goes into the business.
The TESDA courses include the heavy equipment/hydraulic excavator course, shielded metal arc welding, electrical installation and maintenance, dressmaking, and cookery.
Those who will opt for self-employment and set up their own business will be given toolkits like welding machines, sewing machines, and other equipment.
“The toolkits to be given are a good starter component in setting up their respective enterprises and put into practice their hard-earned skills,” Ferrer explained.It was learned that after completing the training programs, the students underwent the TESDA skills assessment test before National Certificates or NCII was awarded.
The initial 58 students mostly came from the 277 families that include former fishpond caretakers or workers who were living in houses on stilts at the coastal areas of Taliptip.
The Manila International Airport in Bulakan is also seen to give birth to new local industries and boost existing businesses it will require suppliers, maintenance contractors, food providers, accommodations, and the like. Adjacent to the MIA, the Bulacan Airport City Economic Zone is expected to attract business locators that will provide employment to local residents and boost local government revenues.
The Bulacan airport project has a design capacity of 100 million passengers per year, and may be expanded to 200 million as it will feature four parallel runways with a provision for two more, a world-class terminal, and supported by a seamless transport system.It also seen to solve perennial congestion problems at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).