Tesda specialists assesses bamboo training in Iligan

By Nora Sorino,
Iligan Bureau Chief,
Frank E. Dosdos, Jr.,
and Sita Asequia,
Correspondents

ILIGAN CITY – Two Specialists from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) Main Office in Metro Manila visited the Home Biz Bamboo Crafts and Learning Center in Luinab, this City, last November 18.

Former Luinab Barangay Kagawad and Engineered Bamboo Pioneer and owner of the DTI-Assisted Facility, identified the visitors as Bernadette Aubije, Sr. Tesda Specialist, Qualifications and Standards Office, Tesda Central Office and Melcris Atis, Tesda Specialists.

Aubije told newsmen that the purpose of the visit is to validate Drafted Training Regulation on Bamboo Processing (E- Bamboo) NCII. She said that Home Biz Crafts and Learning Center is the only successful Engineered Bamboo processor in the country.

She also said that they also assessed the training capability and facilities of the Learning Center to determine if it could be accredited as a Tesda Training Center.

She and her companion interviewed Palomares and Key Production Equipment Operators and product processors of the Facility to validate Skills Competences requirements they have drafted for Tesda Certification.

They also conducted an inventory of the training facilities and support services to determine the possibility that Home Biz Bamboo Crafts and Learning Center could be accredited as a Training Center for Engineered Bamboo Production Skills.

The said Facility has been conducting training programs to trainees from local governments in Mindanao such as Talisayan, Claveria and Naawan in Misamis Oriental,  Sapad, Linamon and Magsaysay in Lanao del Norte and other places in Mindanao.

According to Palomares Talisayan is now producing and selling Engineered Bamboo products to its customers.

It was gathered that several local government units in Mindanao have acquired Engineered Bamboo Production Equipment through DTI and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) but many of these equipment are just rusting due to lack of production technology training.

Palomares told newsmen that recently he trained faculty members of a Technical School in Claveria, Bukidnon on Engineered Bamboo Production.

He also said that he reconditioned the idle rusting production equipment in the said school to make it operational and useful during the training that he conducted.

Palomares concluded that he also fabricates production equipment for government and private entrepreneurs interested to engage in Engineered Bamboo production.