Villanueva pioneers another launch of Tulong Trabaho at Kabuhayan Project in Bocaue

Senator Joel Villanueva, chairperson of the Senate committee on labor, employment, and human resources development, led on Thursday the second launch of Tulong Trabaho at Kabuhayan project in Bocaue, Bulacan.

Villanueva was joined by government agencies such as the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the local government of Bocaue.

The Tulong Trabaho at Kabuhayan project is the second big event hosted by the senator after its successful launch in Capas, Tarlac on the eve of Labor Day last year.

Around 2,000 jobseekers coming from Bocaue and nearby towns attended the event which showcased job fairs, skills demo training, and a one-stop shop of government agencies including PSA, NBI, SSS, and PhilHealth.

"We are glad to host another event that offers a lot of job opportunities for our kababayans. Our Tulong Trabaho at Kabuhayan project is a testament to our continuing advocacy to provide local and overseas jobs and skills training to our Filipino workers," Villanueva shared.

"Ang ating job fair ngayon dito sa Bocaue ay hindi lang po tulong trabaho at kabuhayan kundi tulong sa pamilyang Bocaueno na rin," the senator, who hails from Bocaue, further mentioned.

The event, held at the Bocaue new municipal covered court, gathered 30 local companies and 4 overseas companies which offered 2,800 job vacancies, mostly in the production and manufacturing sectors.

TESDA also brought in 13 accredited schools that offered scholarships under the Free TVET Program. Scholars will be entitled to an allowance of P160 per day, toolkits, and P5,000 worth of allowance.

Furthermore, the event hosted demo trainings on perfume making and soap making and profiling of applicants for DOLE's TUPAD assistance (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers Program) which provides emergency employment for displaced, underemployed, and seasonal workers.

Villanueva shared that among the applicants for TUPAD are the displaced fireworks workers in Bocaue.

"We want to help every displaced worker as we can, and through government programs like TUPAD, disadvantaged workers are given renewed hope with the livelihood assistance we offer to them," the senator further noted.

Aside from that, Villanueva awarded a cheque to 200 beneficiaries of DOLE-SPES (Special Program for the Employment of Students), a youth-employment bridging program that provides temporary employment to poor but deserving students, out-of-school youth, and dependents of displaced or would-be displaced workers.

Awarding ceremonies were also held to recognize outstanding Bocauenos as well as the DOST's awarding of certificates to CEST (Community Empowerment thru Science and Technology) beneficiaries - a program that targets to empower the poorest and most depressed communities in the country, via S&T interventions.

"Isang pamilya po tayong mga Pilipino at naka-depende ang ating katatagan bilang isang bansa sa trabaho ng ating mga manggagawa. Hangga't may mga Pilipinong may trabaho at kabuhayan, dito o abroad, patuloy pong gugulong ang ating ekonomiya at mananatiling buo ang ating bayan," Villanueva said.