To further widen the opportunity of the Cebuanos, another program was launched to enhance the human resource of the province by providing them more skills – the Sugbo Kahanas Program.
Sugbo Kahanas is a brainchild of Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia. It was first launched on November 24, 2021 at the height of the pandemic when strict lockdowns were implemented. The governor sought to help those who lost their jobs and livelihoods by offering them free skills trainings which they could later use in finding other jobs here and abroad, or in starting their own ventures.
Under the program, the Capitol allocated P100 million which was divided among the board members and the vice governor for a decisive province-wide investment in skills development training for those who lost their jobs amid the pandemic.
The Capitol partnered with TESDA which facilitated the training of the beneficiaries chosen by the office of the Vice Governor and the board members, while the Provincial Government purchased their toolkits, provided them daily allowance, and one hundred thousand pesos worth of GSIS Accident Insurance. Aside from the many subsidies and allowances that qualified beneficiaries get, Capitol also provided them with starter tool kits upon course completion like welding machines or ovens for welders and bakers, respectively.
The program implemented at least 70 skills training courses such as welding, cookery, bread and pastry production, massage, dressmaking, and computer servicing to name a few. Once graduated, the beneficiaries would receive their NC-2 certificates from TESDA-- which gave them the opportunity to land a job overseas.
Sugbo Kahanas is the only one of its kind in the entire country and that it is worthy of emulation because it empowers people through skills training and development.
Since its launch in November 2021, the program reached a 100% implementation with a total of 4,329 trainees.
Lucio Racaza, 55 yrs. old from Cansojong, Talisay City, was one of the scholars for the driving course. A job order employee at a government agency, he said he wants to learn how to drive so that he could augment his income by moonlighting as taxi or jeepney driver.
“Dako akong pasalamat kay sukad-masukad, edad-edaran nako, karon pako kadungog og gobernador nga aktibo ba, motabang gyod sa mga taw,” Racaza said. “Karon pa gani ko kaklaro unsa gyod na siya kagamay pero aktibo kaayo, buhi kaayo mosulti. Daghan kaayo siyag nabuhat sa Probinsya sa Sugbo.”
Another first in the entire country, Sugbo Kahanas taught Cebuanos to learn how to live for a lifetime and not just to live by a day.
