ROXAS CITY, Capiz (PIA) -- Backyard poultry raiser Rolly was all smiles as he proudly held his training certificate during his graduation from a Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) training course in the town of Dao in Capiz last Feb. 19.

He was among the 75 trainees who completed a course on Poultry Production which came with a National Certificate II qualification.

"I will use what I have learned from the course in raising chicken as a source of income for my family," he stressed, adding that he has been raising chickens for the past 20 years to sustain the daily needs of his family.

Another graduate, Cristy E. Famulag of Barangay Bita, also in Dao town, said that she will use the incubator she won in the raffle to produce more chicks for her poultry venture.

Aside from animal production, Christy had also earlier completed a technical vocational course on Organic Agriculture Production NC II.

The 29-day training was conducted by the DC Integrated Farm based in Dao town, a learning site for agriculture accredited by the Department of Agriculture- Agricultural Training Institute and a Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-registered farm school in Barangay Matagnop in Dao town.

"It is our commitment to improve agricultural production," said DC Integrated Farm head Kryztof Ray C. Carillo, adding that each of the graduates received starter kits composed of 10 chicks and two kilograms of initial feeds.

The technical vocational institute also raffled 15 incubators for the graduates to further enhance their capabilities in poultry farming.

The incubators can accommodate at least 50 eggs at a time for hatching.

During the graduation program, TESDA provincial director Ric M. Abraham confirmed the graduates who also received two coconut seedlings each as well as their allowance at P160 a day for the training.

“May this program, a gift of the government to all of you, help you improve your quality of life,” Abraham said in his message to the graduates as he also called them to maximize their learning from the training by applying it to their livelihood starter kit.

The activity was attended by Dao Mayor Jose Jimbo Barruela, Philippine Coconut Authority provincial manager Andy Laurilla, and farm school owner Concepcion Carillo, among others. (AGP/AAL/PIA Capiz)