ISABEL, Leyte- Watch out for the opening of the first of a kind training academy probably in Leyte. It is an opportunity for out- of- school youths, especially high school graduates who remain jobless but has the capability, desire and ambition to earn short-term technical courses that are in demand both here and abroad.

The Purisima Training Academy will officially be launched on September 8 at Barangay Bilwang, some 10 kilometers before entering the center of Isabel. The academy was conceived by a successful businessman and known philanthropist Engr. Saylito Mondales Purisima whose primary objective is to help poor out- of -school youths so they can be equipped with technical skills to arm them in their venture of job seeking viable employment both here and abroad. He is the owner/proprietor of the SMP Engineering Works that is engaged in infrastructure, waterworks installation and other contracts servicing Leyte, Cebu and Palawan clientele. He also takes charge of the engineering works in Palawan.

Included in the plan is for the academy officials to assist graduates land a job after their training. Engr. Purisima will even accommodate prospective and interested enrollees who are extremely poor and therefore cannot pay the training fees for the program via the enroll now-pay later scheme. Purisima has experienced hardships in his student days by finishing his course as a working student the reason why he has a very soft heart to the youth who dreams of a better future.

The launching will be graced by officials from the TESDA (Technical Education, Skills Development Authority) as the academy will be getting technical assistance from the agency in the course of its implementation of the trainings. Also officials from the Department of Education will also be in attendance to inform prospective secondary graduates who may not be able to pursue college education and who may just choose technical education for immediate employment. Formal classes are to start a day following the launching of the training center. The academy’s offering include welding, shield metal art welding (SMAW) NCI and NCII, pipe fitting and some others that will come out in demand as the institution progresses.

A reasonable training fee will be collected for at least a three week period of training depending on the course chosen. The actual implementation will be adequate number of sessions inside the classroom but most of the training activities will be a “hands- on” approach or actual practicum within the vicinity of the SMP Engineering Works Compound. (ALVIN GZ.ARPON)

TACLOBAN CITY- In its effort to help survivors of supertyphoon Yolanda in the city still living in tents, the city government is offering them financial assistance in exchange of going back to their original hometowns. This was revealed by Gloria Fabregas, officer-in-charge of the City Social Welfare and Development Office, who said that those who will avail this scheme of the city government stand to receive P10,000 as financial assistance. The scheme asking the families still living in tents after their homes were washed out during the onslaught of Yolanda is being carried out by the city government under its “Balik-Probinsiya” Program.

Fabregas said that the fund needed for this scheme will be source from local funds of the city government.  “The purpose of Balik Probinsya Program is to make sure that there will be no more residents living in the tent cities” said Fabregas. “Even though they are in their respective provinces, they will still be included in the permanent housing project”, she added. Those who will avail this scheme, they would be given priority in the housing projects being constructed by the city government in the resettlement sites. There are 1,200 families living in tents in the villages of San Jose, Magallanes and Sagkahan areas who could of this scheme, Hermilo “Boy” Naputo, Jr., head of the Barangay Affairs Office of the city government.

“There are 14,000 to 16,000 expected permanent housing units to be build. It will be constructed in Barangay 101(New Kawayan); Brgy.105 (San Isidro) and Brgy. 106 (Sto. Nino) and are expected to be finished within two years with all facilities including electricity and water will be provided,” Naputo added. (ARCHIE FAYE V.BELCHES, LNU Intern)

TACLOBAN CITY- Both Leyte Vice Governor Carlo Loreto and Tacloban City Vice Mayor Jerry “Sambo” Yaokasin expressed their support on the plan of the national government to extend financial assistance to the survivors of supertyphoon Yolanda.Loreto said that based on information he received, the national government through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will provide cash assistance to families living outside the danger zones in the amount of P30, 000 up to P70, 000.

The vice governor said that if this cash assistance will materialize, this will be a big help to the identified beneficiaries, especially those who are poor and who lost their source of incomes after the onslaught of Yolanda. Earlier, DSWD Regional Director Nestor Ramos said that their department is set to provide assistance to survivors of Yolanda in the amount of P30,000 under its emergency shelter kit assistance.

Nine months after Yolanda pummeled Leyte, particularly Tacloban, survivors of the world’s strongest typhoon to make landfall have been waiting for financial assistance from the national government, Loreto and Yaokasin said in separate interview with Leyte Samar Daily Express. Survivors of Yolanda had received financial assistance from different humanitarian groups, the latest of which was the Unicef (United Nations Children’s Fund) which is giving P4, 400 for six months to poor families in different towns in the region. As this developed, Vice Mayor Yaokasin urged the DSWD to come up with a list of survivors from Tacloban and delist those who claimed to be residents and survivors of Yolanda.

“The DSWD must ensure that families who will avail of their financial assistance are really the true survivors of the supertyphoon,” Yaokasin said. “We hope that the guidelines and the procedures of the plan of the DSWD in giving financial assistance will be clear cut in such a way that the true survivors will be the one to avail the assistance and not those who are not really survivors of the supertyphoon,” the vice mayor added. Loreto said that he understand why the government will only provide assistance to families living outside the danger or risk areas as he hope that eventually, even those living on dangerous zones would also be extended assistance like permanent dwellings.

“We are willing to discuss to the people especially to those who lives in the identified no build zone areas to make them understand why the national government will just give financial assistance to those families who are outside of no build zone areas,” Loreto said in an interview with Leyte Samar Daily Express. (RYAN GABRIEL LLOSA ARCENAS)