Stakeholders of the Jobs-Directed Education and Skills Development Project signed the Memorandum of Agreement at Almont Inland Resort Hotel in Butuan City on 12 August 2010. Seated from left is Efren E. Rivas Jr, Provincial Administrator of Surigao del Sur, Mr. Wilfred Y. Alvarez, SVP for Operations of SUDECOR, Director Rey Cueva, TESDA Surigao del Sur Provincial Director, and Mr. Lilioso B. Bulasa, TVETASS Vice President. Standing in the background are representatives of the different partner Colleges and Universities of TESDA Surigao del Sur.
BUTUAN CITY — In a trailblazing effort, the Surigao Development Corporation (SUDECOR) opened its doors to the public by offering its expertise and equipment for technical and vocational education. The effort is formally launched when SUDECOR and the Technical Education and Skills Authority (TESDA) together with the Provincial Government of Surigao del Sur, and the Technical Vocational Education and Training Association of Surigao del Sur (TVETASS) forged a partnership geared at enhancing the quality of technical education and skills training. Dubbed as Jobs-Directed Skills Development Project in Surigao del Sur, the partnership was formalized Wednesday, August 12, at the Almont Inland Resort Hotel in Butuan City in a Memorandum of Agreement signing attended by representatives from TESDA, SUDECOR, the Surigao Sur Provincial Government, and witnessed by more than 450 representatives from the public and private sector. The event was one of the highlights of the 9th Human Resource and Skills Development Conference organized by the Mindanao Association of TVET providers.
Mr. Wilfred Y. Alvarez, SUDECOR Senior Vice President for Operations, represented the logging and plywood manufacturing company. “This is a major breakthrough in terms of corporate and public sector partnership to improve the skills of over a thousand workers, and promote employment in Surigao del Sur through the program that will be hosted by SUDECOR in partnership with the TVET providers of TESDA”, says Mr. Alvarez. “The partnership will redound into wider options for the local workers to avail of employment opportunities both here and abroad”, he added.
Director Rey Cueva of TESDA Surigao del Sur represented the agency in the MOA Signing. He said that the “partnership will significantly improve the provision of technical and vocational skills training because SUDECOR has all the equipment and expertise necessary for effective learning.” The partnership will utilize SUDECOR workers who have been accredited by TESDA as qualified instructor for technical and vocational training. Director Florencio Sunico, TESDA CARAGA Regional OIC Director, praised the partnership and expressed optimism that this will help propel local economic growth since the availability of skilled workers is one of the factors that attract investments aside from infrastructure and peace and order.
The joint technical education and skills development program of SUDECOR and TESDA stemmed from the company’s desire to upgrade the skills of its own workers to improve their performance. “But this is not only for the SUDECOR workers”, SVP Alvarez said. “This will benefit the people from the communities, including the indigenous people, because the program is open to the public”, he concluded.
Contact Person :
ROWIL O. AGUILLON
Corporate Communications and Public Relations
Email: bubwa2002@yahoo.com
=============================================
Products from waterlily: cashing in on trash
Handbags, vases, slippers, document folders or training kits – these are just some of the products that can be made from waterlily.
Some 30 trainee-graduates of the Trainers’ Training on Waterlily Processing and Basic Weaving found this out and actually produced some of them.
The six-day training organized by the Department of Trade and Industry was held last August 2 to 6, 2010 at the Caraga CLEEP Station. Participants to the trainers’ training came from the four provinces of the region.
Water lilies are a common sight in the rivers and swamps in the different areas of the region, but mostly in the two Agusans.
The market potential of this humble water hyacinth is very promising. Recent technologies have been introduced to utilize the fibers that can be extracted from this plant as alternative raw materials for textile production and handicrafts.
The training was conducted to introduce an alternative and additional source of income to people in the communities thru DTI’s One Town One Product (OTOP) Program.
An expert from the Sarilikha Handicraft of Laguna was tapped to provide trainees with the skills and techniques in water lily handicraft production. Laguna is a known pioneer on intricately designed handicrafts made from water lilies and the said initiative was also recognized for its environmental merit.
Each trainee got a starter kit for water lily handicraft production. The starter kit includes a set of rice harvester knife or locally known as “garas”, pair of scissors, gloves, tongs, sets of dye and bleaching chemicals. (DTI-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
DTI moves to remove expiration dates on gift certificates
Gift certificates will soon no longer have expiration dates and will be redeemable until used up by the bearer.
This is the latest Department Administrative Order issued by the Department of Trade and Industry to further the interest of the consumers in the country. DAO 10-4 series of 2010 provided for the guidelines on the issuance, use and redemption of gift checks, certificates or gift cards in accordance with the Consumer Act of the Philippines.
The Order prohibits any supplier to issue and/or sell gift certificate/check/card that contains an expiration date starting July 1, 2012. As a transitory provision, starting July 15, 2010, all gift certificates/cards/checks issued must bear a date of issue and an expiry of two (2) years. Holders of unused/unexpired gift certificates/cards/checks shall, however, be entitled to replacement upon revalidation by the suppliers.
Terms and conditions of gift certificates issued before the effectivity of the Order will still be honored.
According to DTI Undersecretary Zenaida C. Maglaya gift certificates should have no expiration date because they have already been paid for and the issuing company has already gotten revenues from them. It should be rightful therefore that consumers are able to buy something with it. (DTI-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
DTI partners with ILO to study how key agri products move from farm to market
A study is currently being made on how rice, corn, coconut and banana from selected towns in Agusan del Norte get to the market from the farming communities. Not only that, their movement is tracked in terms of how much value adding is done, who are the involved in each stage, what support are they getting, what threats and risks are they facing, not least of which are the effects of climate change.
This study dubbed “Farming Value Chain Analysis” for the municipalities of RTR, Buenavista, Jabonga and Las Nieves - is a component of the demonstration project on climate change adaptation (CCA) of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Achievement Fund.
The demo project in Agusan del Norte is specifically to establish “Climate Resilient Farming Communities through Risk Transfer Mechanisms.” It is implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Labor & Employment (DOLE), and the Provincial Government of Agusan del Norte.
DTI as partner agency was tapped to handle the value chain mapping of the major products from the priority towns particularly- palay, whole mature coconuts, corn kernel and bananas - to take a closer look at the state of farming communities producing them. This was done with members of the municipal focal teams.
At the same, the ILO is also doing a simultaneous study on the extent of vulnerability and adaptability of the four municipalities again with the municipal focal teams of the four LGUs with experts from the University of the Philippines Los BaΓ±os as mentors.
ILO CCA Project Manager Lurraine Villacorta explains the conscious effort to involve the LGU personnel as a sustainability mechanism to ensure that after the project, the LGUs will already be equipped to make the necessary updating and share their knowledge with the other LGUs when called for.
The results of these two studies will be presented within the next two weeks. The two studies will also be the basis for the market research on alternative livelihood or economic diversification and the appropriate financing schemes and other risk transfer mechanisms which is slated to start within this month.
DTI Caraga’s composite regional and provincial implementing team will again handle this study. (DTI-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
Provincial NERBACs soon to be established
Caraga’s Regional one-stop action center, otherwise known as National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center [NERBAC] will soon be replicated in the provincial centers in the region.
The immediate establishment of the provincial NERBACs is being pushed by DTI Secretary Gregory Domingo as one of the agency’s commitment for the 1st 100 days of the new administration.
The Provincial NERBACs just like the present regional center- NERBAC Caraga will work to become a “single entry point for investors and micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) for a comprehensive and integrated business support by pooling government resources in a one-stop express business center. “ The main aim will be to reduce red tape and improve efficiency in government service.
The provincial centers is a step further on what is provided by Republic Act 7470 otherwise known as the “National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center of the Philippines Act of 1992 which was authored by one of our leaders- the late Agusan del Sur Congressman Democrito O. Plaza.
The roll-out which is expected to happen within the next few weeks will be done with other NERBAC-member agencies primarily with the mandatory licensing agencies such as the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Social Security System, Philhealth, Pag-ibig and with the host local government unit. This is to ensure that the priority of cutting down of processing time for business permits will be delivered.
Other member agencies will also be called upon to work on the other NERBAC services in the area of knowledge management and investment promotion at the provincial level. (DTI-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
Agusan del Sur hosts 16th Caraga Business Conference
This year’s 16th Caraga Business Conference (CBC) will be held on August 20, 2010 at the newly inaugurated gymnasium of Bayugan City.
This conference is an annual gathering of business executives, political leaders, regional line agencies and members and officers of the local chambers of commerce to discuss opportunities and, issues affecting business and governance in the region.
The conference theme is “Strengthened SMEs in the Caraga Region.”
Talks on business opportunities and financing sources for small and medium enterprises are among the topics covered during the conference.
The conference will also feature success stories from various sectors as one of the activity highlights. Mayor Isaias Masendo of the Municipality of Talacogon will share the Local Regional Economic Development (LRED) Experience Supporting Business Growth.
Mr. Martin B. Bazylewich, owner of True Brew Gourmet Coffee Shop will speak about Doing Business in Caraga.
Dr. Cesar C. Nuevo of Claveria Tree Inc. of Jasaan, Misamis Oriental will share on Corporate Social Responsibility.
This year’s conference convenors are the Provincial Government of Agusan del Sur and the Agusan del Sur Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc.
The hosting of the conference has been on rotation among the cities and provincial centers of the region since 1995. (DTI-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)
