THE TECHNICAL Education and Skills Development Authority is now closely coordinating with local government units to help those who have been displaced and rendered homeless by typhoons Rolly and Ulysses.

TESDA-NCR and its district offices immediately conducted relief operations and turned over solar street light panels and a portable charging station at Leodegario Victorino Elementary School in Marikina City.

Food packs and other relief goods were also donated for the Marikeños.

TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña personally turned over the solar street light panels to Marikina City Mayor Marcelino Teodoro and Barangay J. Dela Peña Chairman Ariel Lazaro last Saturday.

Lapeña assured Marikina City constituents that TESDA will continue to deliver the programs of the government to help them overcome adversity and revive their livelihood through free skills training.

Meanwhile, TESDA regional offices in Region V, Region IV-A, and Region II have also conducted relief operations in the communities affected by the typhoons which hit the country one after the other.

TESDA’s Isabela School of Arts and Trade is now being utilized as an evacuation center and has installed solar powered charging stations for the use of the evacuees. A solar powered generator was also set up by TESDA at the Ilagan Command Center.

Meanwhile in Cagayan, the Regional Training Center also set up solar powered charging stations along the road so it can be accessed for free by evacuees staying in nearby temporary shelters.

TESDA regional offices continue to consult LGUs and affected residents on the implementation of different training programs that could help them rise again through livelihood and employment.

In a memorandum issued last Thursday, Lapena reiterated the previous directive to all regional and provincial offices to immediately prepare training programs in areas affected by disasters and natural calamities.

“Accordingly, we have to adopt the ‘Bayanihan’ spirit in the delivery of relevant training programs as part of the collective action to support the rehabilitation of these disaster-stricken areas and ensure the well-being of all affected Filipinos,” he said.

Post-calamity assistance will come in the form of free skills training on carpentry, electrical installation and maintenance, plumbing and other construction-related courses as this will help people whose houses were damaged to rebuild their dwellings without the need to hire additional carpenters and electricians.

“In this way, the residents themselves, once equipped with the right skills, can help one another in re-constructing their houses.  Malaking bagay ito na makakatipid sila sa gastusin sa pagpapatayo ng kanilang bahay na nasira ng bagyong Rolly at Uysses,” Lapena said.

As an immediate relief, cookery will also be offered for free in evacuation centers and affected communities. By implementing a training program on cooking, the evacuees and residents themselves will have the resources to prepare and cook foods for their own consumption and would not be heavily dependent on relief food packs.

Once they finish these training programs, these skills will remain useful which they can use to pursue jobs or new livelihoods.

TESDA trainers will conduct the training at the nearest and most conducive site located in the affected areas so that trainees will no longer bear the burden of traveling to the training centers.