Tech-Voc school opens in Sarangani

MAASIM, Sarangani (September 29, 2010) – Local officials led by Governor Migs Dominguez and partner agencies opened Tuesday (September 28) the province’s first technical- vocational competence center intended for Sarangani’s out- of-school youth (OSY).

The Center for Technical Excellence (CTE), a joint project of the local government, Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Education, and Conal Holdings Corporation, is built at Mangelen Integrated School, one of the 18 integrated high schools opened last year.

“I always believe that education is the best anti-poverty tool, and I would like to commend the local officials for really creating an environment where business people can prosper and help develop our local skilled manpower,” Dominguez said.

“The CTE is intended for our out-of-school youth where they can learn and be employed by the company for their source of livelihood,” project assurance manager Rommel Tomas Falgui of Conal Holdings Corporation said.

The CTE can accommodate 60 students per batch. Last Saturday, 133 OSY took the screening test.

Conal Holdings Corporation is the proponent of the 200-megawatt power plant in Kamanga to address the power shortage in Mindanao.

“People have always the right to give their opinion about the project, but we are confident that with the use of modern technology, we cannot sacrifice our environment for progress. We are a law-abiding company,” Falgui said.

Conal Holdings Corporation has been developing a nursery as part of its carbon-sink project, a 7,500 reforestation project in the mountains of Maasim.

“To ensure the safety of our environment, we organized a multipartite monitoring team composed of independent entities and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources itself to double check that everything is working in accordance with environmental laws,” Falgui added.
Joining new partners for the CTE logistic and technical support are Alcantara Foundation, Mahintana Foundation, Golden State College and RD Foundation.

“Our priority is providing you assistance in health,” said Joseph Nocos, Conal Holdings Corporation vice president for business and development. “We also build classrooms in your community because we understand how important education is for you and the future of your children.”

DepEd will administer the center while TESDA will design the curriculum and instructional materials, and Conal Holdings Corporation to provide school supplies for the students.

“This is free education. All they have to do is to attend classes and study their lessons,” Falgui said.

The CTE offers hands-on training in carpentry, welding, masonry, construction painting and plumbing with NC-2 certification from TESDA. Falgui said the center will also offer short courses for women soon.

The center was built in a hectare of land donated by Mohmen Mangelen, a teacher in the said school. (Russtum G. Pelima/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)