CAMP RUPERTO KANGLEON,Palo, Leyte- Former drug users who surrendered under the government’s ‘Oplan: Tokhang’ are encouraged to join a skills training that could help them become useful members of the society again.
The skills training, in collaboration with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and dubbed as ‘Pagbabago’ will last for 45 days to be held inside the regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police(PNP), here.
Its first day started last Thursday (January 18).
The training will involve on food processing by salting, curing, and smoking; processing food by fermentation and pickling; organic vegetable farming; organic poultry; bread-making; motorcycle or small engine servicing; service consumer electronic products and systems and wellness massage or ‘hilot.’
Chief Inspector Ma. Bella Rentuaya, information officer of the PNP-8, said that for this activity, they are opening 200 slots for former drug users.
But so far, only half of the slots have been filled up, she added.
It was learned from Rentuaya that those who will avail of their activity will have to choose two of their preferred courses and will have sessions from Monday to Friday.
At the same time, they will also be taught on search and rescue, and traffic management during weekends.
Rentuaya is optimistic that this project will change the drug surrenderers and will give them the opportunity for employment because it was found out that some of them indulged into illegal drug activities for reason of not being employed or they don’t have a livelihood.
Chief Supt. Gilberto Cruz, police regional director, said that after the program the drug surrenderers will do well, he will coordinate with provincial governors and mayors and even private companies to prioritize them for employment.
He added that this program is a way of solving the problem in the rehabilitation of the drug surrenderers and will show that they can still be rehabilitated and become useful members of the society.
The budget allocation of TESDA for the classes is worth P492,000.
TESDA will award a certificate of competency to the drug surrenderers after the program.
Barangay officials helped in identifying the participants. Some of the supplies were sponsored by various civilians and sectors.
(EDIZON CAHINDO, LNU Student Intern)
