BONG GO STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF TECHVOC PROVIDING JOBS FOR THE POOR AS HE HELPS TESDA GRADUATES IN CABUYAO CITY, LAGUNA

SENATOR Christopher “Bong” Go lauded the 800 Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) graduates who have completed their training program, in partnership with the Telecall Institute of Technology Inc. at Cabuyao Athletes Basic School (CABS) in Cabuyao City, Laguna.

On Wednesday, December 6, Go’s Malasakit team held a distribution activity at the CABS Multi-purpose Hall, where they provided the graduates with additional support, such as food packs, snacks, and shirts. Other graduates received a cellphone and new pairs of shoes.

In his message, Go said that the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) aims to address the skills disparity and help guarantee that Filipinos, irrespective of their economic status, has the chance to acquire pertinent and sought-after skills. These skills, he added, would enable individuals to secure meaningful employment and actively contribute to the overall economic advancement of the nation.

“As you step into the next chapter of your lives, armed with the valuable skills and knowledge gained from TESDA, I am confident that you will make substantial contributions to your chosen fields. Your achievement not only enhances your individual prospects but also contributes to the overall development of our nation,” Go encouraged.

In the Senate, Go filed Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2115, to establish TVET along with livelihood programs specifically designed for rehabilitated individuals with a history of drug dependence. The proposed legislation seeks to offer skills training to improve the job prospects of these individuals, enabling them to reconstruct their lives and make positive contributions to their communities.

Go also filed SBN 420, which supports the creation of a framework dedicated to offering brief employment opportunities to eligible individuals hailing from underprivileged rural households. According to the proposed law, the Rural Employment Assistance Program (REAP) would be established and fall under the purview of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). If enacted, the primary objective of REAP is to furnish temporary employment avenues for individuals meeting specific criteria, including economic hardship, poverty, displacement, or reliance on seasonal employment.

Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, mentioned that the government’s medical assistance programs are readily available at any of the 159 Malasakit Centers nationwide.

Enacted into law in 2019, Republic Act No. 11463 or the Malasakit Centers Act, principally authored and sponsored by Go, brings together representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). These one-stop shops aim to help indigent patients in reducing their hospital costs to the least possible amount.

In Laguna, Malasakit Centers are located at Laguna Medical Center in Sta. Cruz and San Pablo City General Hospital in San Pablo City.

Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance supported various projects to bolster economic growth and enhance public service delivery in the province. He supported the construction of multi-purpose buildings in Cavinti, Liliw, Lumban, Majayjay, Pagsanjan, Pila, Sta. Cruz and Sta. Maria; construction of slaughterhouses in Mabitac, Nagcarlan, and Pagsanjan; and construction of public markets in Liliw, Nagcarlan, Pagsanjan, and Rizal.

Other projects he supported are the construction of a farm-to-market road and a multipurpose covered court in Paete, the construction of a drainage canal in Cabuyao City, repair of the primary road inside Fort Sto. Domingo in Sta. Rosa City, and installation of street lights in Lumban and Magdalena.

“Mga kababayan ko, tandaan n’yo po, mahal na mahal ko po kayo. Minsan lang tayo dadaan sa mundong ito, kung anuman pong kabutihan o tulong na pwede natin gawin sa ating kapwa ay gawin na po natin ngayon dahil hindi na tayo babalik sa mundong ito,” he said.

“Ako ay patuloy na magseserbisyo sa inyong lahat dahil ako po ay naniniwala na ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo po ‘yan sa Diyos,” concluded Go.