PHIVIDEC Industrial Authority administrator and Chief Executive Officer Pompee La Viña on Saturday said that better pay for workers and good working conditions can help solve poverty in this time of the pandemic.

“Poverty can be solved in this time of pandemic if there is enough increase in the wage of workers and in every family is sufficient,” said La Viña during the virtual meeting of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-Regional Training Center (TESDA-RTC) Advisory Council recently.

La Viña and TESDA Administrator Engr. Nazario D. Villamor were joined by RTAC Industry / Economic Sector chairman Engr. Arthur Mencus B. Quiblat and its members, Manuel M. Deliva Jr and Dr. Alenogines L. San Diego.

Also present were Frank J. Evangelista Jr, Lorimer Y. Angeles for the Academe Sector, and Tagoloan mayor Gomer A. Sabio for the Gov’t. Sector.

La Vina during the meeting said the positive trend of Phividec where more giant industries such as Integrated Steel Mill, San Miguel Feed, and new applicants like Pharmaceutical investors and other modern industries will soon be able to meet the target and desire of the TESDA RTC.

“If an applicant has a good education, proper training, and quality knowledge then he or she can also get a proper job with a higher salary,” said La Viña adding that they can be able to offer adequate support to their respective families and can withstand stress especially now during a pandemic.

La Viña with TESDA RTC aimed to enhance the knowledge of a worker to be skilled and further improve workers’ competence in the job held.

RTC-TESDA has even further raised the quality of their teaching to suit the industrial automation system, especially the giant industries, according to La Viña.

Meanwhile, Villamor was confident that La Viña, being part of the advisory council, could unify their good goals and desire to end human poverty.

Earlier, the two administrators of Phividec and TESDA RTC have facilitated the distribution of 300 additional scholarship slots for Phividec workers who need to improve their skills and earn an adequate salary according to what they have learned.

Except for Phividec, La Viña has been entrusted by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to 5 positions, as Commissioner of the Social Security System of the Philippines or SSS, Undersecretary of the Department of Tourism, and Undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture. (Ben Balce)