140 Filipino workers to upgrade skills in 4 courses

At least 140 Filipino workers will benefit from four skills upgrading and reintegration courses that the Philippine Overseas Labor Office will start to offer on May 16 and 17.

Enrollment in these courses—offered free of charge to students—improves workers’ competitiveness in the workplace.

The courses also provide overseas Filipino workers with the skills they need to pursue livelihood projects or businesses once they return to the Philippines.

As of yesterday, all the slots available for these courses have already been filled up, and a lot more are on the waiting list.

Philippine labor attaché Joann Lourdes Lavilla said on May 1, POLO staff will start calling the workers who are on the list of those accepted to attend the courses in basic Nihonggo, basic sewing, basic computer operation 2, and commercial cooking/culinary arts.

“We ask the workers to avail of the free classes available to them. Workers should confirm their participation right away. If they cannot attend the classes, then we would be able to accommodate the other students who are also applying for these slots,” Lavilla told Saipan Tribune.

All the classes will be held at the Filipino Workers Resource Center on the first floor of the Marianas Business Plaza (formerly Nauru Building) in Susupe.

The commercial cooking/culinary arts, which will be conducted by volunteer teacher Hermie Coronejo, will start on May 16, Saturday, from 2pm to 5pm. Lavilla said the class can accommodate 50 students.

“The class is already full but there are still pending applications,” Lavilla added.

Volunteer teacher Cris Hilario will conduct the basic computer operation 2 class starting on May 17, Sunday, from 9am to noon. The class will accommodate 35 students, but all the slots have already been filled up.

“There are a lot of students who want to take the classes, especially basic computer operation and basic Nihonggo,” Lavilla said.

The basic sewing class, to be conducted by volunteer teacher Teresa de Jesus, will start on May 17, Sunday, from 2pm to 5pm. All the 25 slots for the class have been filled up.

On the same day, from 2:30pm to 5:30pm, volunteer teacher Jun Rodriguez Jr. will start conducting a basic Nihonggo class for 50 students. The slots are all taken, and a lot more are on the waiting list.

Thousands of Filipino workers in the CNMI have benefited from the skills upgrading courses offered by POLO on a periodic basis, with the help of volunteer teachers. For more information about the courses, call the POLO staff at 235 3411 or 235 6992.