BAGUIO CITY(PIA) -- The Technical Education and Skills Authority and the City Government of Baguio  inked a partnership for the generation of skilled workers and provision of  job opportunities  for technical – vocational education and skills training graduates.

TESDA Director General - Secretary Isidro Lapeña and Mayor Benjamin Magalong led the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement at the Baguio City School of Arts and Trades last February 19, with TESDA Deputy Director General Lina Sarmiento, TESDA – CAR Director Jeffrey Ian Dy and Regional Technical Education and Skills Development Committee chairperson and Baguio Council Betty Lourdes Tabanda signing as witnesses.

Under the MOA, TESDA will primarily bring in its  skills training scholarship program; provide tools, equipment, supplies, materials and other resources needed,  and facilitate the conduct of competency assessment to graduating trainees.

For the City Government of Baguio, it will be in charge of designating or selecting individuals or members of various sectors who shall participate in the training and capacity building session. It will also help in providing job and livelihood opportunities for the TESDA skills training graduates.

Magalong expressed gratitude to TESDA for responding to his request for the training of more skills workers and professionals  that the city government will need for its strategic programs and projects.

He  shared that for this 2022 alone, the city government will implement 31 infrastructure and development projects that will require around 3,500 skilled workers and professionals.

 “We are working on catalytic projects that will help the city recover (from the pandemic) and we are working closely with the business sector in coming up with an enabling environment for our recovery efforts,”  the mayor  said.

 The mayor announced that he will be allocating a space at the Baguio Convention Center for the use of the Baguio – Benguet Provincial Office (which is currently in La Trinidad) for it to be more accessible to clients from the City and nearby areas.

Lapeña, in his message, outlined that such partnership with the City Government is another milestone for both  organizations towards achieving their common goal of providing quality service to the people  especially to those who are most in need of help.

 “In this agreement, we will be able to help our kababayans here in Baguio and also in the nearby areas more efficiently  in terms of job and livelihood opportunitiesespecially in this time of pandemic,” he said.

Lapeña said   he directed TESDA - CAR to concentrate its support to the economic development efforts of Baguio which will include the allocation of scholarship program  especially for the construction sector. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)