𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐃𝐀 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐀 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐍-𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐎 𝐃𝐄𝐋 𝐒𝐔𝐑 𝐏𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐂 𝐀𝐆𝐑𝐈-𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐏𝐏𝐓𝐂-𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐇𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐆 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈-𝐎𝐑𝐆𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐂 𝐅𝐀𝐑𝐌

A brainchild of TESDA Secretary Isidro Lapeña, PhD, CSEE, the Launching of Skills and Livelihood Project dubbed as "Training of Trainers in support to the Establishment of the Village Enterprise" in Brgy. Bayan, Marihatag, Surigao del Sur is a critical effort to the establishment of livelihood/ enterprises and other income opportunities for the target sectors of the PRLEC cluster under EO70.

Bayan, one of the barangays of Marihatag in Surigao del Sur, is used to be influenced by CPP NPA. This influence and infiltration manipulated the IP community's ideology. The long standing communist insurgency resulted to poor economic performance in the community and deprived them access to opportunities of sustainable living

To ensure that TESDA services will be more accessible to the marginalized sectors of the community through quality TVET trainings which will eventually provide employment, a Poverty Reduction Livelihood and Employment Cluster (PRLEC) Agri-Business Training Center will be established and will soon rise in Brgy. Bayan. The ground breaking ceremony of the said building is one of the highlights during the Launching of Skills and Livelihood Project conducted last September 2, 2020.

As part of the commitment of TESDA Caraga Regional Director Ashary A. Banto to see the actual ground situation in the region as well as its improvement, he conducted an actual on-site visit to Surigao del Sur PRLEC Agri-Business Training Center and PPTC-Marihatag Mini-Organic Farm together with Dir. Julius Sol O. Jamero, Provincial Director of TESDA Provincial Office of Surigao del Sur and Ms. Novielita A. Dispo, Supervising TESD Specialist and Regional PRLEC Focal.

The said project aims to train, through TESDA, the beneficiaries in Organic Agriculture Production NC II, mostly IPs and members of the Farmers/Vegetable Growers People's Organization, capacitate them in the development of an Organic Agriculture Village Enterprise, accredit their organic farm as Learning and/or Demo Site and make them as trainers of Organic Agriculture, thus expanding services and opportunities for skills and livelihood projects in their community. Enterprises to be established include Organic Chicken Production, Organic Vegetable Production, Plant, Plant, Plant Abaca, Herbs and Spices Processing and Nature Farming and Technology System.

The development site has a total of 17 plots dedicated for the organic plantation of green pepper (20pcs), sweet potato, tomatoes (70pcs), eggplant (50pcs), beans (40pcs), ampalaya (40pcs) and okra (20pcs). It has also a dedicated 200sq. meter for the plantation area excluding the area for native chicken and hog production. To date, it has now recorded 100 pcs of native chicken and harvests of 60 kilos of beans, 75 kilos of okra and 75 kilos of Corn. Chili, Squash, Cucumber and Radish were also harvested and Some of the harvested crops were donated to LGU Marihatag to support food supply for those who were under quarantine in support to “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.”

As we head towards the agency’s thrust “TESDA, Abot Lahat” in serving and prioritizing those less privileged sectors of society, TESDA Caraga will carry with the vessel of hope to our beloved countrymen not just in the mainstream but also in the hinterland.

#TESDAAbotLahat

#TatakCaraga