Amid the impending April 26 closure of resort destination Boracay, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director-General Guiling Mamondiong deployed TESDA-Aklan personnel to create a contingency plan for affected workers and residents.

TESDA-Aklan director Joel M. Villagracia said they plan to offer free skills training for those affected by the shutdown.

“We will do an inventory of the available qualifications for the affected people so that we will know the number of available slots,” he explained. “For the month of April until June, we hope to train some 2,000 applicants.”

It was earlier reported, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) announced they would be providing assistance for local residents who potentially face various issues, particularly regarding their livelihood, with the impending closure.

According to the government agency, residents may be eligible for the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), which seeks to provide economic opportunities through skills training, along with providing capital funding.

They also noted, residents may qualify for the agency’s Cash-for-Work (CFW) program, which seeks to provide temporary employment for distressed or displaced individuals./WDJ