BACOLOD City – President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s recently signed law mandating free access to technical-vocational education will provide gainful employment among out-of-school youth in Negros Occidental, according to General Alliance of Workers Association secretary Wennie Sancho.
“The alternative livelihood program will motivate the youth to apply for opportunities offered by the government rather than becoming liabilities to their families,” Sancho said on Thursday.
He said the program will keep the youth away from vices, such as drug addiction.
The president recently signed the Republic Act 11230, or the Tulong-Trabaho Act, to address job-skills mismatch and unemployment in the country.
The law orders the creation of the Tulong-Trabaho Fund that will grant qualified recipients’ access to Technical-Vocational Education and Training programs through the full payment of the selected programs’ training fees and additional financial assistance.
The Tulong-Trabaho Fund is available to any person at least 15 years old, who is not in school or training and unemployed.
Employed workers who intend to develop and expand their current skills and training are also welcome to apply.
Sancho said the labor sector is optimistic that the law would enhance the technical and vocational skills of workers employed in Negros Occidental.
“Some companies are not capable of providing these development trainings thus, it would be an incentive for them and employees, as well to be trained and improve productivity in the workplace,” he added. (With a report from PNA/PN)
