Not many know that the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC), an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), is conducting free livelihood training programs. This is part of DTI’s CLEEP Project. CLEEP aims to inspire and encourage displaced workers and unemployed persons to engage in their own businesses and to learn different skills and crafts amid the global financial crisis.

One may ask: are displaced workers including those who worked abroad really interested to put up their own businesses? If we use as a gauge the number of participants who attended the initial simultaneous free seminars on livelihood held at PTTC last February 25, 2009 – the answer is a resounding yes. In that seminar, 2,142 participants attended. The participants were provided with trainings on How to Start a Business, Franchising, Distributorship/Dealership, Commercial Baking, No Bake Cakes, Meat Processing, Basic Barista, Hog Raising, Slippers Making, Decorative Candle Making, Soap Making, Hair Cutting, Basic Cellphone Repair and Webpage Design.

Encouraged by the successful turn-out of participants in its initial free seminar on livelihood held last February 25th, PTTC Executive Director Adelaida L. Inton decided to schedule more free seminars to accommodate requests from the public. On April 25th, PTTC again implemented various free trainings on How to Start a Business, Basic Costing and Pricing, Basic Business Recording, Food Safety, Food Labeling, Salon Management Principles and Techniques, Fish Processing, Meat Processing, Vegetable Processing, Fruit Processing, Flower and Balloon Arrangement, and Basic Webpage Design. Many participants (numbering 1,708) flocked to PTTC to attend these series of livelihood seminars.

The next seminar at PTTC to be held on May 23, 2009 will deal with the following topics: How to Start a Business, Basic Costing and Pricing, Basic Business Page 2 villafuerte export action line May 2, 2009 Recording, Basic Webpage Design, Distributorship/Dealership, Food Safety, Salon Management, Hair Cutting, Meat Processing, No Bake Cakes, Commercial Baking, Picture Framing, Beadworks, Fruit Processing, Vegetable Processing, Laundry Soap Making, and Scent and Fragrances. PTTC expects more participants to come to learn skills needed in starting their own small businesses.

After the scheduled May 23rd seminar, another is scheduled on June 13, 2009.

For those who want more information about the trainings, please call PTTC at Tel. Nos. 468-8962 to 69 or email at info@pttc.gov.ph.

Kudos to DTI especially to PTTC for its CLEEP project! For its timely and swift decision to offer free livelihood training programs to displaced workers. DTI may have limited funds but DTI’s personnel’s commitment to public service is astounding.

I know because I worked in DTI for seven years as Undersecretary for the International Sector and later for the Regional Operations Group Sector… and I am a witness to DTI’s unwavering culture of public service.

Have a joyful day!