TESDA CAR to provide trainings for Cordi rebel returnees

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in the region has vowed to provide access to quality technical-vocational education and training (TVET) in line with President Rodrigo Duterte advocacy in reintegrating former rebels(FR’s) , Indigenous Peoples (IPs), and other special clients back to the society.

TESDA recently launched Rural Employment Generation for Social Equity (REGSE), projects which are in accordance with the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), Executive Order No. (EO) 70 also known as the "Task Force Balik-Loob".

TESDA-CAR's Acting Regional Director Engineer Manuel Wong said that under REGSE, TESDA will implement institution and community-based training for both IPs and former rebels.

In 2018, data showed that there were 119 former rebels who completed free tech-voc training programs.

"I am assuring you that TESDA –CAR will continue to provide better services to all of our clients and make government more visible to beneficiaries," he said.

Currently, the regional and provincial offices are in coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for collaboration programs.

Meanwhile, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) Acting Regional Director Attorney Roel Obusan said that addressing the communist insurgency does not require a military solution but concerted effort of concerned agencies to deliver basic social services, empowerment of target beneficiaries, and government transparency. (Pamela Mariz Geminiano)