Soon after completing their two-week training on furniture upholstery, 25 out of the 28 trainees from different towns and city of Pampanga were hired by local furniture factories.
This piece of good news was relayed to Governor Lilia G. Pineda during the turn-over ceremonies of the graduates in the furniture upholstery training program jointly undertaken by the Pampanga provincial government and the Chamber of Furniture Industry of the Philippines-Pampanga chapter (CFIPP).
The governor thanked Philip Repata and Guagua Councilor Anthony Joseph Torres, president and vice-president respectively of CFIPP, for their support to the training program which she hopes would be the start of more similar undertakings for out-of-school-youths in the province.
“Marami pa tayong pagsasanay na dapat gawin para sa ating mga kabataang hindi nag-aaral para magkaroon sila ng hanapbuhay at maging kapaki-pakinabang sa kanilang mga pamilya at pamayanan,” the governor told the program implementers and the graduates during the turn-over ceremonies held at Benigno Aquino Memorial Hall at the Capitol compound.
Pineda said that the project was conceptualized last year to address the inadequate manpower resources of the local furniture industry and at the same time provide livelihood opportunities to out-of-school youths (OSYs).
The Provincial Manpower Training Center (PMTC) headed by Francis Maslog, Public Employment Services Office (PESO) of Luningning Vergara and CFIPP with the support and assistance of Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University (DHVTSU) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) conducted the training in two separate venues – first at the DHVTSU and later at the Furniture City in Mabalacat town.
The provincial government spent P300,000 for the supplies and materials in the training program which included actual hands-on of the participants in furniture upholstery.
As she inspected their finished products of upholstered sofa and chairs which were put on display at the venue, the chief provincial executive congratulated the participants for their quality workmanship and encouraged them to do better.
“We could also conduct a similar training program on carpentry for OSYs so that they could be tapped in the actual production of the provincial capitol’s purchase order for 10,000 school desks,” the governor said as she stated that the provision of skills trainings to OSYs and other marginalized sectors is one of the priorities of her administration.
She revealed that she had initial talks with the management of SM Malls on the possibility of showcasing Pampanga-made furniture in their various outlets throughout the country.
Torres acknowledged that the recently completed training program was a big help to the local furniture industry and in addressing the unemployment problem in the province.
“We are glad to report that 25 training graduates were already absorbed by some member-companies of the chamber and are currently undergoing trainings to further hone their skills in furniture upholstery,” he stated.
He added that the chamber is currently working on the hiring of the other remaining graduates by other member-companies near their place of residence.
Board Members Fritzie David-Dizon, Trina Dizon and Raul Macalino together with Provincial Administrator Atty. Andres S. Pangilinan, Jr., Engr. Fernando Henson of Planning and Development Office (PPDO) and Luis Rivera of Human Resource and Management Office (HRMO) witnessed the turn-over ceremonies. (Erlinda T. Yutuc, Pampanga PIO)
