THE Technical Education and Skills Development Authority has opened the first training center for Garbage Collection NC I in Teresa, Rizal.

Last August 30, TESDA Rizal, in partnership with the local government unit of Teresa, held an inauguration ceremony for the first training center for Garbage Collection NC I.

TESDA Director General Suharto Mangudadatu lauded the opening of the training center, saying that it will help the country’s garbage collectors to be more knowledgeable in performing their duties.

Mangudadatu said that with the right training, garbage collectors will learn the proper and safe handling and disposal of waste, which will ultimately help ease the impact of garbage on the environment.

“Garbage collectors have to deal with our daily trash. In this thankless yet very important job, they make sure waste gets removed from our homes and is moved to the landfills. We want to professionalize the job by making it a full-fledged occupation,” the TESDA chief said.

The training regulation for Garbage Collection NC I, which was promulgated in 2015, covers competencies relating to the collection, transport, and dumping of garbage, particularly municipal or city wastes.

A person who finishes the training is competent to be a “palero” or garbage collector.

The course, which runs for 104 hours, will include training on sorting and removing unnecessary items; arranging the items; implementing mitigation measures to eliminate environmental risks and hazards in the workplace; maintaining work area, tools, and equipment; and, learning the proper use of gloves, masks, boots or safety shoes, raincoats, safety goggles and reflectorized vest.