The 69th batch of farm workers’ dependents and out-of-school youth recently finished their technical skills training in different TESDA-accredited courses from the NFSP Sugar Workers Foundation Technical Skills and Livelihood Training Center at Bacolod City.
“This training center is funded by contribution of sugar farmers. This has been operating for more than 20 years, and it has helped provide technical skills to thousands of farm workers and their dependents,” said Jaime Golez, NFSP vice-president for Western Visayas, as he welcomed the graduates, their parents and guests.
Hillary Ticao–Enarsao, TESDA scholarship focal person for Negros Occidental, was the guest speaker.
“Make use of what you have learned from your training programs. Continue to improve by educating yourselves through life experiences. Look for a job or start a business that can utilize your skills and, at the same time, allows you to continue to be better. In that way, you are not only helping yourself but, most of all, you are helping your community,” she said.
“At the end of the day, it will not matter anymore where you graduated from, what course you took, or even how much money you have made. What will matter, and what will set you apart from everybody else, is what you have done to improve yourself, your community, and how much you have contributed to building our country,” Ticao-Enarsao added.
Ray Vincent Mirasol, president of the NFSP Batch 69 Supreme Student Government, thanked NFSP officials for giving them the opportunity to study for free at the NFSP Training Center, and thus acquire technical skills which can use for their livelihood. He also thanked the guest speaker for her inspiring words.
“To my fellow graduates, this achievement is ours. Let us carry what we have learned here with pride, discipline and determination as we step into the real world,” Mirasol said.
Established in 2002, the NFSP skills training center is a brainchild of NFSP officers headed by President Enrique Rojas. The training center offers TESDA-registered courses in Shielded Metal Arc Welding NC II, Computer Systems Servicing NC II and Automotive Servicing NC I.
“For more than twenty years now, the NFSP training center has produced more than 18,000 highly-skilled graduates. Most of our graduates have found gainful employment, and a substantial number of them are working abroad. We are happy and proud that NFSP has contributed to the upliftment of their lives,” said Rojas.*
