TESDA chief: IP Communities to become agri-preneur in IPEACE Program.
Local News • 13:30 PM Tue Jun 30, 2020
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By:
Karl Mike Tabingo
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) chief Isidro S. Lapeña visti pilot areas for agri-preneur program.
KORONADAL CITY - Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) chief Isidro S. Lapeña, currently the Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) led the launching of the IPEACE (People Empowered as Agripreneur towards a Collective End) program in four barangays and three provinces in the Socssksargen region.
Together with the members of Poverty Reduction, Employment and Livelihood Cluster (PRLEC) of Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC), TESDA will provide assistance and programs to the Indigenous Peoples Community in the region.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the increasing demand for food in the region, Secretary Lapeña found an approach to strengthen food security and to empower communities in the region.
“Let us not allow COVID19 to stop the government from delivering its services to the people,” Lapeña said during the openign program attended by local officlas and representatives from government agencies.
Lapeña also visited the food sources and the areas where the training will be implemented,. Despite being told the road up there was rough and bumpy, Lapeña proceeded to have a caucus meeting with sitio leaders and the community.
He expressed his visit is also the mandate from President Rodrigo Roa Duterte as CORDS and to report the latest happenings and other situations on the field.
“I also visit here as the representative of the president to oversee the latest situation in the ground and for the people to feel that the government is always here to help them,” Lapeña said.
The pilot areas include Barangay Alegria in Alabel, Sarangani Province, Barangay San Jose in General Santos City, Barangay Datal Blao in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat and Barangay Manobo in Magpet, North Cotabato were one of the priorities pilot barangays in the region for the IPEACE program and 60 more barangays.
As the insurgency continues to weaken and other more rebel members opted to surrender to the government, the regional task force to end the local communist armed conflict is maximizing the programs and projects to the farthest areas and marginalized sector in the region.
“We should act fast and that fast is now,” Lapeña said.