Mayor Maria Angela Garcia launches Project Balikatan. Photo by Ernie Esconde
DINALUPIHAN, Bataan — The local government here on Tuesday launched Project Balikatan under the poverty reduction, livelihood and employment cluster with Aetas as majority of the beneficiaries.
Mayor Maria Angela Garcia said 57 beneficiaries, mostly Aetas, will undergo training in any one of the four skills training to be conducted by the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority.
Lawyer Balmyrson Valdez, TESDA Region 3 director, was the guest speaker in the launch at the Bulwagan ng Bayan in Dinalupihan.
The natives are from the Ambala Tribe in the upland village of Bayan-Bayanan, one of the 46 barangays of Dinalupihan.
The participants will train in plant crops leading to agricultural crops production, produce organic concoctions and extract leading to organic agricultural productions, raise organic chicken leading to organic agriculture production or bread and pastry productions.
“Ang vision, ang pangarap ng Dinalupihan ay maging isang modelong agropolis sa buong Central Luzon. Ang ibig sabihin, gusto nating maging modelo tayo ng isang balanseng pag-unlad. Pag-unlad pero kasama ang mamamayan, kalikasan,” Garcia said.
“Kailangang ito’y kasama sa criteria na dapat ang mamamayan ay resilient, disciplined at empowered kaya may mga training na ganito, gusto natin nakikiisa, nakikibaka, nakikigawa ang ating mamamayan,” she added.
Also joining the launch were representatives from the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine National Police, among some others.
Municipal administrator Rollie Rojas said all the projects of the mayor are aimed at eliminating poverty and improving the lives of residents in the only land-locked town of Bataan.
An Aeta group provided short entertainment to the audience through an ethnic dance number.
