SENATOR Joel Villanueva on Tuesday said that the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority has the right skills, personnel and a wealth of experience to help the victims of Typhoon Odette rebuild their homes.

The former TESDA director general said the agency has programs that can be tweaked to suit the needs of typhoon victims. Among these is a previously implemented program where trainers were deployed to equip residents with basic construction skills.

“Hindi lang po magagamit ng ating mga kababayan ang mga skills na basic carpentry at house wiring sa kanilang pagkukumpuni o paggawa ng kani-kanilang mga tahanan. Mapapakinabangan rin po nila bilang dagdag-karanasan na magiging daan sa trabaho,” Villanueva, chairman of the Senate labor committee, said.

Villanueva explained that the training-cum-production method provides practical skills and experience for trainees.

On top of the training, beneficiaries also are provided an allowance to cover a part of their basic needs as they get back on their feet.

Under Villanueva’s helm, TESDA  implemented a training-cum-production program in regions that were hit the hardest by Typhoon Pablo in 2012.

The program covered various construction related skills training such as carpentry, masonry, and electrical wiring, among others.

When Yolanda struck in 2013, Tesda mounted the Pandayan Project where residents in hardest-hit provinces were given a crash course on basic principles of carpentry and electrical repairs, which included a hands-on application of the practical skills.