A Foundation’s First: TYKFI Partners with TESDA in Motorcycle Repair Livelihood Training Program

The Foundation made history once again. In order to complete the holistic approach of extending assistance to the company, TYKFI sponsored the livelihood training of 18 unemployed residents of Alangalang  and two teachers from the Sulpa National High School at the TESDA Training Center in Tacloban City from May 26 to June 17, 2015.

TYKFI, in partnership with the TESDA-Region 8 and PNB-Samar Leyte, picked the 18 trainees from poor barangays to undergo training in motorcycle servicing that will enable them to earn a better and more stable source of income. Meanwhile, the two teachers from Sulpa National High School are being assisted by TYKFI to be prepared for the K-12 high school system which includes vocational training.

Last June 17, 2015, the entire class of 20 trainees registered 100% attendance and received their Certificates of Competency after passing the assessment by an expert in small engine repair.  The top graduates were: Mr. Russell Bondos, Mr. Ray Catampungan, and Mr. Florence Gil Eusores. The graduation of the new TESDA trainees was attended and witnessed  by TESDA’s RTC Center Administrator Engr. Fortunato C. Dilao, PNB Samar-Leyte Area Head Mr. Cesar Engcoy Jr., Alangalang Barangay Captain Sarah Apurillo, the program coordinator and former DepEd’s Leyte Division Superintendent, Tanduay Branch Manager Joram Bacorro, and TYKFI’s Head Philip Sing, Evelyn Abao, Jonathan Anuma, and Jan Nazarene M. Irorita.

The training program was jointly prepared and coordinated by Engineer Ricky Piandong of TESDA Region 8 Training Center, Dr. Sarah Apurillo, Barangay Captain of Alangalang and Evelyn Abao of TYKFI.

Project Background

In her opening message to the trainees, Ms. Evelyn Abao narrated how the first TYKFI livelihood training program in Leyte was conceptualized and launched.

In the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, the Foundation Founder and Chairman, Dr. Lucio Tan immediately visited Leyte and assessed the massive destruction to the lives, properties and the future of the people and their communities. After visiting Tacloban about five times, Dr. Tan and his team assessed the damages  and brought a planeload of emergency assistance and several truckloads of food, medicines, school supplies  and other relief items.

Realizing that assistance does not stop in providing calamity assistance, Dr. Tan launched last year the  Foundation’s Three Year Rebuilding Program wherein he focused on rehabilitating the community and the environment through the reconstruction of schools and homes and livelihood programs. While the Chairman’s vision is to cover critical areas across the country, TYKFI focused its rebuilding efforts in Leyte after Yolanda. 

Thus, last year, TYKFI started to build the Chua King Ha Educational Center classrooms for the Alangalang I Central School, the Holy Child II Barangay Hall with day care area and health center  and 57 new houses in San Jose, Tacloban City for the dislocated families in the stricken coastline community.

In order to sustain the relief and rebuilding assistance to the community,  TYKFI partnered with the TESDA Region 8 Center to design an applicable module in motorcycle serving for unemployed residents of depressed sitios in Alangalang, Leyte. 

This training course sought to empower young and able-bodied men and women of the town to learn skills that will help them earn a sustainable livelihood.  With the close coordination of Barangay Captain Sarah Apurillo,  TYKFI carefully screened the set of trainees and strictly monitored the daily attendance and training in action with the help of Mr. Cesar Engcoy Jr., the PNB Area Head,  at the TESDA compound until their graduation. 

According to Engr. Fortunato C. Dilao, motorcycle repair is one of the skills programs in small engine servicing. After completion of the 15-day course and passing the assessment, the trainee must continue to undergo a 40-hour on the job training in order to practice his new skills and prepare for an actual job. To earn his/her NC-1 certificate, a trainee may also learn to operate small engines on the job and pass an assessment process in order to earn an NC-1 Certificate. The trainee may continue to upgrade his skills and certificate up to the NC-4 level.

After the TESDA graduation, the Foundation gave each of the trainees a toolbox containing the following: 1pc. Side Cutting Pliers, 1pc. Long Nose Pliers, 1pc. Impact Wrench, 1pc. Spark Plug Wrench, 1pc. Screwdriver (flat), 1pc. Screwdriver (Philips), 1pc. Wheel Puller, and 1pc. T-wrench (Socket Type). 

On the Job Training

On June 23-24, 2015, TESDA coordinators conducted a two-day Job Induction Program for all the trainees to prepare them for their on-the-job training which started on June 26, 2015. Among the partner companies which accepted the TYKFI trainees are YAMAHA 3’s. Cogon, Ormoc City, NORKIS-SUNRISER, Tacloban City, RACAL, Tacloban City, and EMCOR Incorporation, P. Gomez St., Tacloban City.

The TYKFI-TESDA graduates are Teacher trainees  from Sulpa National High School Mr. Ray L. Catampungan, and Mr. Ernand D. Gaspan. Non-teacher trainees are Florence Gil A. Eusores, Earl Franklin N. Dicot, Russell V. Bondos, Dwayne Marlon P. Miralles, Romnick H. Castillote, Kirk Elease R. Miralles, Zyron T. Novilla, Lorelyn Geroy, Ma. Victoria E. Cagadoc, Jomar A. Ranes, Samuel V. Matobato, Jr., Ernesto Edsel D. Acebedo, Richard Laxamana, Bryan L. Inocando, Randy V. Taol, Salmero Puertollano, Wilmar Ilumba, and Andrew Liporada. 

The Motorcycle Repair Livelihood Training Program trainor is Mr. Rommel Billones. 

Messages and Tips for the Trainees

During the opening and closing ceremonies, Mr. Cesar Engcoy Jr., PNB-Area Head for Samar and Leyte shared with the trainees many inspiring remarks about his humble beginnings and moving up to his present status through hard work and perseverance. “I started small at first. Now, I’m this high but I started very very small just like you as a trainee. I’m now the Area Head of PNB but I started at the bottom. Yes we can say that this is just a COC, an initial training but it will open doors and windows for you to grow. Kailangan focus lang. It is just a matter of working hard. That is the only key for growth.” You only have to focus on your work, your goals, and work hard. His other tips for the trainees:

• Do not take shortcuts, because you will cut short your journey
  
•  It is up to you to develop that knowledge in Motorcycle Repairing
  
• What you learned from the past 15 days is what you will become tomorrow
  
• Reaching heights takes a lot of hard work and sacrifices
  
• Greatness is the ability to believe in yourself that you can do it, and ignoring  everyone who says you can’t do it. 
  

From Ray Catampungan, Math Teacher/Motorcycle Repair Trainee, Sulpa National High School: “Kung hindi pa dahil sa Tan Yan Kee Foundation, hanggang ngayon ay wala pa din po kaming classroom kaya maraming salamat sa Tan Yan Kee at kay Ma’am Sarah Apurillo.”

From Joram Bacorro, Branch Manager, Tanduay Distillers Inc.-Tacloban City: “I’d like to congratulate all of you for a job well done. Basic factors for success based on experience are ambition, desire and knowledge. Knowledge is power. After knowledge are skills and hard work. Without hard work your knowledge becomes stagnant.”