Some 100 women residents of Muntinlupa City, who were chosen as scholars of the city government, are now undergoing a livelihood training program that will help them earn additional income for their families.
Engr. Benjamin Damian, program director of OK (Organisasyon ng Kababaihan) Muntinlupa, said the women scholars are now attending trainings. Half of these 100 OK Muntinlupa women-members are enrolled in dressmaking while the rest are being thought the basic techniques of reflexology.
“This undertaking is in line with the organization’s anti-poverty drive dubbed ‘Kaalaman, Kabuhayan Kontra Kahirapan.’ We want to help families somehow cope with the hardships brought about by the increasing prices of commodities by making available short courses to interested residents,” Damian explained.
He added that the program will create a learning environment that will open up employment opportunities for these women participants.
Damian added that they will also provide the scholars materials they need in class plus transportation allowance.
The trainings are being held at the Muntinlupa City Technical Institute (MCTI) and will run until October.
“The instructors in these livelihood training programs are also from MCTI,” Damian said.
Meanwhile, some members of OK Muntinlupa who were school dropouts also became beneficiaries of the city government’s alternative education program.
The Alternative Learning System (ALS)–Accreditation and Equivalency Learning Program gave out-of-school women an opportunity to continue their education without having to spend much.
This program will help them finish secondary education to make them eligible to enter college or take courses provided by TESDA. They will be given certificates by the Department of Education (DepEd) once they finish the program in five months.
Students in this program can answer questions in the modules at home. Classes are held only during Saturdays at the ALS Center (formerly Bayanan Elementary School Unit I) in Barangay Bayanan.
The project is being implemented by the local DepEd office in coordination with the city government.