LAWMAKERS lauded the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority for launching its Contact Tracing Level II Training Program.

“We commend the TESDA for coming up with this so-called Contact Tracing Training Program. I think this is a very timely program in light of the Covid19 pandemic,” Camarines Sur 3rd District Rep. Gabriel Bordado said during the budget deliberations at the House of Representatives last week.

He asked TESDA Director General Isidro Lapeña if the agency has plans to expand the training program.

The TESDA chief replied that the program’s expansion is in progress.

“The Contact Tracing Training Program was rolled out last week and we have an ongoing training here at NCR. The plan of TESDA is to roll this out throughout the country and all training centers will be involved in this. As we know, contact tracing is one of the keys in preventing the spread of the coronavirus,” Lapeña said.

Rep. Ted Haresco of Aklan thanked Lapeña for TESDA’s outstanding implementation of agriculture training programs in his province.

“You are not only teaching the farmers, but monitoring them for three years,” he said.

Lapeña said that TESDA aims to improve its services by purchasing mobile laboratory vehicles to reach remote villages.

“What we are doing is part of our plan and slogan ‘TESDA Abot Lahat’ and we have been reaching out to the hinterlands. The training center is just for those who are near, but for those who are far, we have to reach out to them. We have requested for funds that will be appropriate for this purpose to give one mobile laboratory vehicle for each province to reach out to the barangays,” he said.

House Committee on Appropriation Vice Chairman and Bukidnon 3rd District Rep. Manuel Zubiri gave assurances that TESDA has the support of lawmakers.

“Definitely, you’re a partner. We need jobs out there and definitely you’re the one that will help us with all the livelihood programs that will help all the people who have lost their jobs,” he told Lapeña.

Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said TESDA should be given a bigger budget.

“It is one agency that we, in Cagayan De Oro, have really been availing so that our people, our youth, will be empowered to be able to have income.

That is why I say in the proper time that we should increase the TESDA budget,” he said.

House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez directed the Department of Budget and Management to release the balance of appropriations and allotments for the TESDA scholarship programs amounting to P7.5 billion.