Ampuyas said the program primarily caters to “poor and marginal groups, those who cannot access, or are not accessible by formal training provisions.”

“They have low skills, limited management abilities, and have few economic options. They have no access to capital or most of them are unqualified for formal credit programs,” he pointed out.

The official said they are currently working on the setting of the schedules, training venues and requirements to facilitate the commencement of the program by May.

Bai Zorahayda Taha, DSWD Region 12 director, said the agency is currently validating the list of potential beneficiaries for the training program.

She said their field staff and the project development officers earlier conducted training needs assessment (TNA) activities among 4Ps beneficiaries in the C4TP’s priority areas.

The agency will submit the TNA results to TESDA-12 for evaluation and finalization of the training programs, she said.

Taha said they will later provide the potential beneficiaries with a list of technical trainings and short-term vocational programs that may be availed from TESDA.

“We discussed with TESDA-12 the possibility of creating a referral system involving local establishments to provide employment for Pantawid beneficiaries who will complete their trainings,” she said.

Taha said a draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the initiative was initially discussed by DSWD-12’s community-driven enterprise development officer Ibrahim Sangcupan, external relations officer Lorraine Blanza and regional convergence coordinator Florentino Fiel with TESDA-12 officials.