More than one hundred dependents of sugarcane farm workers finished the 23rd Batch of technical skills training conducted by the NFSP Sugar Workers Foundation Livelihood and Technical Skills Training Center at NFSP Compound, Bacolod-Murcia Road, Alijis, Bacolod City in simple commencement ceremonies last April 8.

The beneficiaries, who are dependents of farm workers employed by sugar producers affiliated with the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters, learned highly employable skills in welding, automotive servicing, computer operations and hardware servicing and building wiring installation.

The curriculum, facilities and equipment for each technical course are all in accordance with the upgraded, world-class training standards of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Senior Technical Education and Skills Development Specialist Thelma Tubungan of TESDA - Negros Occidental personally confirmed that the graduates finished their training in conformity with TESDA’s training standards.

NFSP Vice-President for Western Visayas Jaime G. Golez welcomed the parents and guests in behalf of NFSP President Enrique D. Rojas. Golez is also the president of the Association of Productive Planters of Negros Occidental, an association which consistently sends dependents of its farm workers for training at NFSP training center and has facilitated the deployment of some of its beneficiaries for employment abroad.

“The skills you learned here will go a long way in helping you improve your life and your future,” said guest speaker Manuel L. Margate, Client Services Department Manager of the Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation.

Margate told the graduates that it might be difficult for them to pay back NFSP for the opportunity given to them but the graduates can pay forward by helping others and giving the same opportunity to others in the same manner that NFSP has helped them.

Margate likewise echoed the sentiments of NFSP President Enrique D. Rojas when he said, “Give man a fish and you feed him for the day but teach him how to fish and you feed him for his whole life.” This is the same rationale that Rojas and the other NFSP officers had when they decided to establish a training center eight years ago.

Jaime G. Golez, NFSP Vice-President for Western Visayas and president of the Association of Productive Planters of Negros Occidental (APP-Negros), stressed that NFSP has been providing free skills training for dependents of sugar farm workers for a long time now. This is in line with the NFSP president’s aim to empower sugar industry dependents so that they can help themselves, their families and the society as a whole, said Golez.

“Rest assured that we will continue with this program to give you the opportunity to help yourselves and other people,” Golez added in his opening remarks and welcome address.

Since the training center started operations in 2002, it has already benefited over 4,000 farm workers and their dependents. Most of the graduates easily secure employment because of the highly in-demand skills that they learned from the training center. A substantial number of graduates had already secured employment abroad.