THE TECHNICAL Education and Skills Development Authority will provide more skills training to the Indigenous Peoples in Caraga region as part of its poverty reduction programs.

TESDA Director General Isidro Lapeña led the launch of several Poverty Reduction and Livelihood and Employment Cluster programs in the region.

On Tuesday, Lapeña, together with Agusan del Norte Governor Dale Corvera, Nasipit Municipal Mayor Enrico Corvera and other PRLEC members graced the launching and ribbon-cutting of Busilak Enterprise Village in Sitio Mimbahandi. The PRLEC project in Agusan del Norte aims to provide livelihood opportunities to the IPs in the area.

Lapeña also personally handed out Certificates of Training Completion to the graduates from Sitios Hinandayan, Mimbahandi and Salaysayon who have finished skills training from TESDA.

On Wednesday, April 14, the TESDA chief attended the launch of the Diversified Innovations in Agriculture and Technology through Unified and Nurtured Outcome (Dinagat Uno) in Basilisa, Dinagat Islands.

During his trip, Lapeña led the groundbreaking of Camam-onan Vegetable Growers Association Bagsakan and Display Center and tilapia fingerlings dispersal at Brgy. Camam-onan, Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte and attended the launch of the CARAGA Express Connect which is a monitoring hub of TESDA-Caraga.

Lapeña, as the chairman of the PRLEC, vowed to continue working with the private sector and other government agencies to end poverty and insurgency.

“Ang aming programang hatid sa inyo ang magsisilbing simula para magkaroon kayo ng mas maayos na buhay, hindi lamang para sa inyong sarili, kundi pati na rin para sa inyong pamilya,” he said.

“Sa tulong ng ating mga PRLEC member agencies, marami pang iba’t ibang mga serbisyo ang inyong matatangap. Sabi nga nila, ang PRLEC, ‘pag naghatid ng serbisyo complete package,” he added.

As the lead agency of PRLEC of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, TESDA has been going to far-flung communities in the country to empower its residents through livelihood and other skills training.