ZAMBOANGA
CITY - Thirty
two Filipino deportees from Malaysia recently received their Certificates of Training signed by no less than Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director-General, Secretary Joel J. Villanueva, as they
graduated from a three-day training course on reflexology massage.
The
activity was the initiative of Jamila Arasid, Center Head- Processing Center
for Displaced Persons (PCDP) of the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) in partnership with TESDA.
“We
conducted the training para naman productive and stay nila dito at para na rin
magkaroon sila ng skill na pwede nilang gawing hanap buhay (We conducted the
training to make their stay here productive and to provide them with livelihood
and skills training that they can make use of to earn a living),” the active
center head said.
“Nakaka
antig ng damdamin dahil some of them are first time graduates (It’s so heart
warming, because some of them are first time graduates),” Arasid said.
TESDA
Regional Director Engr. Lorenzo Macapili during the simple graduation ceremony
said “salamat sa inyong willingness to learn, at sa attention,” as he
encouraged the participants to allow or open themselves to similar
opportunities being offered not only by TESDA but by other service agencies of
the government as well.
“Pag may
oportunidad, join lang ng join (If there’s opportunity, keep joining). Go for
continuous skills enhancement, education and training,” Macapili emphasized.
One
deportee-participant- Jocelyn Gabunday of Silang Cavite in her learning
testimonial said: “Yaman itong natutunan natin, wag natin baliwalain. Dahil sa
bagong kaalamang ito, maari natin itong gamitin para kumita at tumulong sa
kapwa (This learning is a treasure that we should not take for granted. We can
use this new acquired skill to earn a living and to help others).”
She gave
her sincere appreciation to DSWD and TESDA, specifically to TESDA trainer Winfred Turco, for being patient with them and for the rigid
training on reflexology massage.
“First
time ko po na nakapag attend sa buong buhay ko ng training na napaka detalyado,
talagang siniguro nila na lalabas tayong mga eksperto sa training na ito (This
is the first time in my entire life to attend a training that is so detailed,
they made sure that we emerged as experts from this training),” Gabunday concluded.
The
simple graduation rite was conducted at PCDP in Mampang. (PIA9)