OVERSEAS Filipino workers  displaced by the pandemic will have the opportunity to find livelihood under an agreement signed by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration, Philippine Trade Training Center, and Coca-Cola Philippines.

The memorandum of agreement provides for the implementation of the OFW Reintegration through Skills and Entrepreneurship Program under which OFWs can take an online course that will enable them to transform their ideas into business plans.

TESDA shall facilitate the hosting of OFW-RISE with links to the websites of OWWA and PTTC. It will also issue certificates of completion to the participants.

Meanwhile, OWWA shall co-lead the management team that will oversee the overall implementation of the program and facilitate the application to the OWWA livelihood programs of the OFWs who completed the course with business canvas outputs.

The PTTC shall facilitate links to other program implementers to tap the Department of Trade and Industry’s Negosyo Centers and process referrals for enrollment in its program offerings.

TESDA Secretary General Isidro Lapeña said that the TOP has been very helpful to Filipinos as proven by the growing number of its users.

“The President recognized the TESDA Online Program as a tool to help people, especially the OFWs to become productive during these difficult times. We are continuously creating ways to assist our OFWs in response as well to the directive of Mayor Duterte to provide them special programs to help them rebuild their lives back here in the country,” he said.