Twenty-four Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) graduates here have received five heads of free-range chicken each from the municipal government on Friday as their livelihood starter kit.

Mayor Maria Theresa Timbol said the program has been running for years and was intensified during the pandemic.

“Last time we had a training on heavy equipment operator course which was participated by our indigenous people. They graduated from the training and we are happy that other agencies also offered various training here in the municipality,” she told the Philippine News Agency in an interview.

Timbol added that the municipal government has allotted a budget for the graduates to have their livelihood starter kit.

“We hope that the free-range chicken given to them will help their livelihood. If they have enough production, they can also help others. Rest assured that the municipal government will have loan access for them with low-interest rates,” she added.

Roni Manching, the administrator of the KWR Permaculture Farm, said the graduates took the training for Animal Production (Poultry Chicken) NC II from Aug. 9 to Sept. 27.

“We have done it (TESDA training) per barangay and we identify those who are marginalized and the poorest of the poor,” Manching said.

James Juan Sab, 65, one of the graduates, thanked the government for the initiated training, saying it would help them a lot especially since they are unemployed.

“It is really a big help especially those residing in the urban areas, considering that we only rely on raising animals for livelihood,” he said in the vernacular.

Sab also hoped that similar training would be provided by the local government to further help their livelihood. (PNA)