LOAKAN- The Benguet office of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and its partners launch the 3rd batch of Project SILAW (Solar Installation Among Locals to Advance their Welfare) in Sitio Toplac, Barangay Pudong, Kapangan, Benguet on August 28, Friday.
The project SILAW is spearheaded by TESDA-CAR Regional Director and chaired by Hon. Gov. Melchor D. Diclas. The project was proposed to be implemented in the four barangays of Benguet namely; Ibarangat-Lusod, Kabayan; Sito Anjafat, Ambongdolan, Tublay; Badeo, Kibungan, and Sitio Toplac Kapangan. These barangays are identified by the Provincial Task Force-Poverty Reduction, Livelihood and Employment Cluster (PTF-PRLEC), considered as Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) and belonging to 4th class and 5th class municipalities of Benguet.
Energizing the remote communities of Benguet is the primary vision of Project SILAW. Recently, skills training program in Solar Installation under the Community-Based Training (CBT) Program at the community barangay in Kabayan and Tublay has commenced successfully and continuously being implemented for the third identified barangay at the Sitio Toplac, Barangay Pudong, Kapangan and soon in Badeo, Kibungan, Benguet.
TESDA Benguet convened the beneficiaries of the project and its partners early at the morning on August 28, 2020, to officially welcome and orient the participants regarding the details and opportunities that the project can bring to their lives. On one hand, the event was warmly received despite the remote distances among the houses in the area. On the other hand, the presence of the representative of PRLEC Chairman Gov. Melchor Diclas, TESDA Regional Director Manuel Wong, Mayor Manny E. Fermin, TESDA Provincial Director Vilma C. Cabrera and the representatives from the partner agencies edified the vision of project SILAW and made a strong commitment to making a brighter and empowered family which the project is seeking to promote and to attain, in the short run and the long run.
The skills training program is expected to begin on the first week of September 2020 which will last up to 8 days and upon conclusion, the representatives from different agencies committed that they will have an ocular visit to the installed solar panels to ensure the quality of material, its durability and its usability for a longer period of time.
RD Wong thanked the partners of the project and said that “We are glad to launch the third batch of Project SILAW which aims to provide electricity, skills training, and livelihood to the community through solar panel installation and we hope the community’s lives will be elevated through this project. We expect everyone’s cooperation on the solar installation to be successful and we will continue supporting you. Our government is doing their best to help you that’s why we’re here today. We hope that this will not end with the solar installation. Instead, a continuous livelihood is not only limited to our 15 beneficiaries but for the whole community.”
The skills training program is expected to begin on the first week of September 2020 which will last up to 8 days and upon conclusion, the representatives from different agencies committed that they will have an ocular visit to the installed solar panels to ensure the quality of material, its durability and its usability for a longer period of time.