DSWD Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) beneficiaries wait for their turn to go up the stage and accept their National Certificate (NC) II on Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), a technical vocational skills training course sponsored by the DSWD through its SLP in partnership with Cagayan de Oro-based Immanuel Global College de Philippines, Inc.

Some 909 beneficiaries of the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development  received their certificates of completion after finishing a technical vocational skills training course sponsored by the Department in collaboration with Immanuel Global College de Philippines, Inc. (IGCPI), a local technical vocational institution in Cagayan de Oro City.

DSWD- Field Office (FO) X Assistant Regional Director for Operations Aldersey Mumar Dela Cruz, together with IGCPI school officials and local executives,  led the graduation ceremony  of the beneficiaries last week. The event was held at Capitol University in Cagayan de Oro City.

The graduates  came from the 19 municipalities of Misamis Oriental. They have completed the 268-hour requirement and acquired the National Certificate (NC) II on Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), a course offered by IGCP through its Mobile Training Program as accredited by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Other than providing the beneficiaries with technical skills training, DSWD- FO X, with help from IGCPI, will also assist the graduates in finding possible employment opportunities where they can showcase their newly-acquired skills.

IGCPI has been a partner of DSWD- FO X in providing technical skills training to its SLP beneficiaries since 2016. Aside from SMAW, the institution offers other TESDA-accredited courses, including national certificates for Front Office Services and Food and Beverage Services.

DSWD Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo expressed her heartfelt congratulations to the SLP graduates. She also stressed the importance of providing capacity-building initiatives to empower the poor.

“I congratulate our SLP beneficiaries for successfully completing their technical skills training. Your hard work has finally paid off. I hope that you will be able to use your newly-acquired skills to develop your own means of income so you can provide for your family through your own effort,” Sec. Taguiwalo said.

“The DSWD will continue to implement capacity-building initiatives, such as the provision of skills enhancement trainings and micro-enterprise knowledge, accompanied by sustainable livelihood and employment opportunities to empower the poor so they can learn to stand on their own feet and improve the quality of their life,” the welfare chief added.

SLP is a community-based capacity-building program of the DSWD aiming to improve the socio-economic condition of poor Filipinos by facilitating opportunities for development and management of resources viable for micro-enterprises and employment facilitation.

The program has 26,000 beneficiaries in Northern Mindanao.###