The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-Negros Island Region (TESDA-NIR) launched Friday the “Tabang sa Kanlaon” program to capacitate internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon.

The launching ceremony was held simultaneously in the local government units of La Castellana, La Carlota, and Bago City in Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental.

At the La Castellana auditorium, TESDA-NIR Assistant Interim Regional Director Joel Divinagracia said the skills training program is one of the components of Tabang sa Kanlaon –a convergence program among the affected LGUs, partner-agencies, and provincial governments of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental.

“This aims to provide alternative livelihood for IDPs. We want to ensure that the skills they learned will be applied and translated into livelihood. The challenge to the trainers is to see to it that the graduates of the training programs are work-ready or employment-ready,” he added.

Through the program, IDPs will be kept active and proactive while staying in evacuation centers, and learn necessary skills that would afford them better opportunities for livelihood or wage employment.

La Castellana, the worst-hit LGU with the highest number of villages located at the foot Mt. Kanlaon, has about 250 slots for various training programs, some offered onsite or near the evacuation centers.

The IDPs in all the affected LGUs will be trained in Shielded Metal Arc Welding National Certificate (NC) I and II, Dressmaking NC II, Cookery NC II, Bread and Pastry Production NC II, Carpentry NC, II Masonry NC II, Driving NC II, Electrical Installation and Maintenance NC II, and Construction Painting NC II.

Almost 1,700 families, whose homes are located within the six-kilometer permanent danger zone, are currently staying in 13 evacuation centers, mostly in La Castellana town, as well as in La Carlota and Bago.

Kanlaon Volcano is still currently under alert Level 3 or magmatic unrest. (PNA)