Vice President Leni Robredo is hoping that the beneficiaries of the TrabaHOPE program will remain committed and dedicated to their on-the-job training as she led the turnover of training subsidies to the first batch of the program.
In her speech during the virtual turnover on Friday, Robredo said she wants the 83 out-of-school youth (OSY) participants of the P17-million program to remain committed and dedicated as these are two factors that will help them to land jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Bakit napakahalaga ng commitment? Dahil napakahirap ng trabaho ngayon, sayang yung mga slots na binibigay ng ating partner companies (Why is commitment important? It's because there are a lot of people who are jobless now. We would be wasting the slots given to us by our partner companies if you are not committed)," she said.
"Ang gusto nating makita sa inyo-- kaya kayo yung nandito ngayon, kasi kayo 'yung nakitaan ng pagdedesisyon. Sa gitna ng kahirapan, kailangan makita natin sa inyo na desidido kayo (You are here because we saw in you that you are decided. We need to see that in you)," she added.
Robredo, meanwhile, said she is excited about the journey that the participants of the program will be taking since their training will open doors of opportunities for them.
The Office of the Vice President (OVP) has partnered with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) to provide free technical-vocational skills and employability training for over 1,000 unemployed and out-of-school Filipino youth.
The program is focused on Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna.
In her speech, Vice President Robredo explained that there were only 83 participants for the first batch because they had to screen every participant.
"Kinakailangan natin kilatisin yung mga applicant, at siguraduhin na hindi lang sila yung karapatdapat makinabang, pero sila rin yung may commitment na ipagpatuloy ang program (We had to scrutinize every applicant and make sure that they are not just the deserving ones, but are also committed to finishing the program)," she said.
"Kung parang sumama-sama lang, hindi desido, sayang. Sayang 'yung opportunity (It would be a waste of slot if you are just going along. We don't want the opportunity to go to waste," she added.
The TrabaHOPE program of the OVP is still open for applicant-OSYs aged 18 to 30.
Support coming from the OVP will cover the daily allowance for participants, along with a welcome kit, hands-on materials, and mobile/internet allowance.
"Ito 'yung ibibigay sa inyo ngayon para hindi kaya nag-a-out-of-pocket (We are giving this to you so that you won't have to spend money from your own pockets)," Robredo said.
"Para 'yung lahat ng gagawin ninyo na konektado sa training niyo, dito niyo sa subsidy na ibibigay ng opisina namin kukunin (All expenses connected to your training, you will be getting it from the subsidy from our office)," she added.