Livelihood for ex-drug users sought

THE TECHNICAL Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) should have training and livelihood programs solely for former drug dependents who have undergone rehabilitation, Senator Francis Joseph “Chiz” G. Escudero said on Tuesday.

At a hearing of the Senate committee on higher, technical and vocational education, the lawmaker said he was surprised to learn that TESDA does not have exclusive livelihood and training programs for rehabilitated drug users.

“If we will institutionalize TESDA’s training and livelihood programs for rehabilitated drug dependents, we might as well design something that will specifically cater to them,” he said during a discussion of Senate Bill 2115 and its counterpart House Bill 7721, which both seek to institutionalize technical-vocational education and training (TVET) and livelihood programs for former drug dependents.

TESDA representative Joyce Balong told the hearing the agency only prioritizes former drug users in their existing livelihood and training programs.

Mr. Escudero ordered the consolidation of the two bills and referred these to a technical working group that will specify the exclusive livelihood programs for rehabilitated dependents. — Jan Jiminel Cacdac