SAN JOSE, Antique – Persons with disability (PWD) group AKMA or Asosasyon ng mga may Kapansanan sa Munisipalidad ng San Jose de Buenavista recently received skills training on sewing and signified readiness to accept orders.
Seven members of AKMA, led by organization president Edsel Lavega, participated in the training held at the Pag-ulikid Antique Convergence Center in Farmville, San Jose.
The five-day training from June 27 to July 1 was initiated by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Antique, in coordination with the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO)-Technical Assistance and Resource Augmentation (TARA) and San Jose Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO).
PSWDO personnel and resource person Edna Sumugat shared her technical expertise in sewing during the event and produced as output some canvass bags, denim bags, hand-woven cloth-accented tees, and couple shirts specially designed by DTI-Antique director Ma. Dinda Tamayo.
The products developed were then presented before the members of LGU San Jose Municipal Council on Disability Affairs (MCDA) at a meeting, July 1, in preparation for the forthcoming celebration of the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (NDPR) Week 2022 on July 17-23.
San Jose mayor Elmer Untaran was among the first clients of AKMA products who ordered shirts for the MCDA members.
In support of NDPR Week 2022, the unopposed and reelected mayor also pledged to give a majority of Government Internship Program (GIP) slots allocated to San Jose to qualified PWDs.
For her part, Supervising Trade-Industry Development Specialist Engr. Lynna Joy Cardinal guaranteed PDAO and AKMA of DTI’s continuous support in providing livelihood opportunities to differently-abled individuals through the Shared Service Facility (SSF) in sewing and added that DTI Antique hopes to fully operationalize the SSF and maximize the use of sewing machines that are intended to create employment and generate income.
Meanwhile, PSWDO-TARA Division head James Rubino, Jr. said that he is overwhelmed by the concerted efforts of government offices in empowering the members of the PWD sector.
For this, San Jose PDAO head Amie Dava urges training participants to pour commitment into the production of garments as initial orders were already made.
AKMA will also be featuring their locally-made products to the “Online Ubra-PWD Trade Fair Rehiyon Sais” of DTI Regional Office 6 in line with the NDPR Week celebration. (PIA-Antique/PN)
