130 complete army's livelihood program

AT least 130 beneficiaries of the Skills Training Caravan Program graduated and received their Pangkabuhayan starter tool kits during a closing and awarding ceremony of the Skills Training Caravan at Sitio Diat Palo, Barangay Napnapan, Pantukan town in Compostela Valley on Friday afternoon.

Philippine Army's 46th Infantry Battalion, Civil Military Operations officer Captain Siegfred Encarnado, in a statement, said the beneficiaries are former members of the Militia ng Bayan (MB) and Sangay ng Partido sa Lokalidad under the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army (CPP–NPA).

Encarnado said the beneficiaries came from Sitio Boringot and Diat Palo in Barangay Napnapan and Sitio Panganason in Barangay Kingking, all in Pantukan town in Compostela Valley. He added that they earlier surrendered to the 46th Infantry Battalion under the Army’s 8th Infantry (Stormtroopers) Division.

"All of them successfully completed the training requirements of the program with a National Certificate II (NCII) from Technical Education and Skills Development Authorities (Tesda)," Encarnado said, adding that they finished courses–19 on nail care, 31 on motorcycle small engine repair, 51 on shielded metal/arc welding and 28 on massage therapy.

The program was spearheaded by the Office of Municipal Community Training and Employment Coordinator (MCTEC) in partnership with Pantukan local government, Office of the Congressman District II, Provincial Government of Compostela Valley and the 46th Infantry (Peacemakers) Battalion.