I. General Information on the Program

Title of the Program: BUTUAN CITY MANPOWER TRAINING CENTER

Name of the LGU Implementing the Program: BUTUAN CITY

Profile and Number of the Beneficiaries of the Program: GENERAL PUBLIC,

BUTUANONS and NON-BUTUANONS

 

Year	Batch Nos.	No. of Participants
		Butuanon	Non-Butuanon
2006	1 – 22	611	39
2007	23 – 36	396	160
2008	37 – 43	101	35
2009 (as of May)	43 – 46 MT NC II Care giving	61 34 47	8 17 16
Total		1,250	275

 

Date (Day, Month, and Year) of the Start of the Program: TRAINING OPERATIONS

STARTED ON FEBRUARY 10, 2006

BUT WAS FORMALLY LAUNCHED

ON FEBRUARY 13, 2006

Financial Profile of the Program in the Last 4 years:

 

Source of Funds:	Year 1- 2006	Year 2 - 2007	Year 3 - 2008	Year 4 - 2009
General Fund	Php 200,000.00	Php 818,809.00	Php 680,200.00	Php 649,450.00
Total Program Budget	Php 200,000.00	Php 818,809.00	Php 680,200.00	Php 649,450.00

 

II. Program Brief

The vision of the City Government of Butuan of opening more job opportunities for Butuanons targeted not only local employment but has intensified efforts to help job applicants in overseas deployment. The City Government’s commitment to achieve better lives for all and uplift the quality of lives and living condition of the Butuanons stands as one of the priority concern of Butuan City Mayor Hon. Democrito D. Plaza II.

In his quest to fulfill this vision, a program grew to counter a need not only to assist financially his fellow Butuanons by offering a “fly now – pay later” scheme but to reinforce it with an affordable training on household and health care services. Thus creating extra chances to every financially-displaced Butuanon’s dream of participating in the global community and keeping abreast in providing for each family’s growing needs.

The Butuan City Manpower Training Center (BCMTC) is created as the first and only LGU-run and operated Manpower Training Center in the Philippines, pursuant to SP Ordinance 2998-2006, that caters to aspiring Household and Health Service workers. It is operated by the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) in close coordination and collaboration with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). BCMTC welcomes other training centers, establishments or persons, who wish to become partners in the program.

This LGU innovation is the brain-child of Mayor Plaza and Dr. Aurora G. Zaportiza, D.M., P.E.S.O. Manager; with a guiding principle of “Helping people alleviate their economic condition by not giving them fish everyday but by teaching them how to fish.” Its main thrust is to produce well-equipped, properly-trained, and job-ready individuals who wish to land work outside the country. It is a relevant program in these times when proper training, communication skills and even personality become the measurement of success in almost every field.

BCMTC is purposely mandated to train people in the fields of household and health care services, with an added touch of hotel-restaurant management, both for local and overseas employment. At present, courses in Household Services NC II (372 hrs), Massage Therapy NC II (560 hrs), and 6-months Care giving NC II are being offered at the center. Such endeavor gives competitive edge to those who willfully subject themselves to the employability enhancement training.

To support the program, aside from the Overseas Lending Assistance, the city government offered a Review Course for Caregiver and Household Services for Certification from TESDA, Job Fairs, Special Recruitment Activities, Pre-employment Orientation Seminars, Counseling Services, Employment Placement and Referral, Anti-illegal recruitment advocacy, and even Passporting services.

PESO undertakes the implementation and monitoring/evaluation of BCMTC. It is directly under the office of the City Mayor and supervised by a Training Director, who is the incumbent PESO Manager. To assist her, are the two (2) on hand accredited trainers, two (2) new accredited trainers, a Custodian/Clerk, a Registrar, and two (2) support staff from PESO.

BCMTC is manned by few people but delivers gigantic results.

This manpower development program initiative of the City Government is not only keen on deploying Household/Hotel workers and caregivers predominantly engaged by women but skilled workers of the male counterpart as well when the Chief Executive seriously considered developing a training center for skilled workers such as Heavy Equipment Mechanics and Operators, Welders, Machinists, and Electricians.

The city government pledges to realize this noble vision through its continued efforts in updating and maximizing skills training and support activities advantageous to the general public, Butuanons and non-Butuanons alike.

III. Positive Results and Impact

Even before the so-called “global financial challenges” unemployment has long been a social problem in the country, and Butuan City is no exception. We have seen various programs and projects being devised to counter it. Some failed… some prevailed. BCMTC is one of those that prevailed.

Since its launching in February 2006, BCMTC is able to produce 1, 525 graduates, who are well-trained in the fields of household services, caregiving, and massage therapy. Many opted for overseas employment, others preferred to work locally, while there are those who utilized their learning in the comforts of their own home – serving their families. As per records, the center has successfully deployed 247 graduates in the different corners of the world and 298 graduates are employed locally. This translates to 35.74 % employment rate of the total number of graduates. 183 fresh graduates, or 12% of the total number of graduates, are currently hunting for jobs. The remaining percentage, 52.26%, covers those pursuing higher education, those unemployed for the time being, those whose whereabouts are not known by BCMTC (cannot be contacted), and those who are staying at home as housewives/husbands.

Graduates-now-turned-OFWs of BCMTC, testified that the program has greatly played an important role in their deployment abroad. It does not only enhance their skills and knowledge, but also their work ethics and values. It has improved the economic condition of their families who are solely depending on them before but are now able to establish small businesses of their own.

Another upshot is the income that the program brings in for the city’s coffer by the very affordable training fee collected from the students which, translated to more than 1.5 Million Pesos, additional revenue for the City.

Per records of BCMTC, the following is the statistical accomplishment for the years 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009(as of May):

 

Year	Batch Nos.	No. of Trainees		Date of Graduation	Total Amount of Registration	Employed
		Butuanon	Non-Butuanon			Local	Overseas
2006	1 – 22	611	39	· April 11, 2006 · May 16, 2006 · August 9, 2006 · Sept. 5, 2006 · Nov. 14, 2006 · Jan. 9, 2007	Php 384,600.00	298 Government, Private Institutions, Self-Employment, Business	247 Hongkong, UAE, Kuwait, KSA, Australia, Carribean, Taiwan, Japan, Canada
2007	23 – 36	396	160	· April 11, 2007 · July 13, 2007 · Oct. 2, 2007	558,100.00
2008	37 – 43	101	35	· April 8, 2008	183,800.00
2009 (as of May)	43 – 46 MT NC II Caregiving	61 34 47	8 17 16	· April 14, 2009	85,000.00 39, 400.00 339,600.00
Total		1,250	275		Php1,590,500.00	298	247
		1,525				545

 

BCMTC has also actively participated in community extension services. Its On-the-Job Training program has provided free health care services to Por Cristo Home for the elderly, CSWD Lingap Center (home of orphans and abandoned children), OSCA Rehabilitation Center (Senior Citizens), and Day Care Centers (toddlers).

It has also participated, either on voluntary basis or on request, in various activities such as DOLE caravans, PESO facilitated job fairs and special recruitment activities (SRAs), livelihood bazaars, free clinics, and barangay visitations.

IV. Promotion of People’s Participation and Empowerment

The program is the by-product of the painful truth that the Butuan City Mayor Democrito D. Plaza II had experienced when he visited the Manpower Training Center in Quezon City, together with Dr. Aurora G. Zaportiza, wherein five (5) of the trainees are Butuanons. It bleeds his heart to see the dire condition of the trainees having to travel far from Butuan just to undergo training in Luzon. Upon arriving in Butuan City, he commissioned Dr. Zaportiza to lay down a plan to create a manpower training center.

Dr. Zaportiza scouted probable abandoned offices in the Old City Hall Building where the Manpower Training Center be accommodated. She informed the City Mayor of the preferred location which is the old City Assessor’s Office. And she presented the Proposal for the Manpower Training Center made by the different stakeholders through a consultation. As proposed, it will be directly operated by the PESO under the headship of Dr. Zaportiza as the P.E.S.O. Manager and the Training Director.

The City Mayor during the regular meeting then directed the City Engineer and City Architect to repaint and make renovations on the said office. Unexpectedly, the employees of the two offices and other interested employees made a “Bayanihan” in clearing and cleaning the old office, repainting and making renovations of the same.

The city officials readily supported the idea of the City Mayor sensing that it could possibly help improve the quality of lives of the constituents of Butuan City. The Sanggunian Panglunsod passed SP Ordinance No. 2998-2006, “An Ordinance Establishing the Butuan City Manpower Training Center and for Other Purposes”.

There were city government officials who shared financial assistance to purchase the necessary equipment for the center. There were also volunteers, coming from Asian College, Mindanao Academy of Economics and Management and an NGO, who shared time, talent and effort to man the center and train the First Batch of trainees and other batches that followed. With massive information drive, media blitz, and personal testimonies, BCMTC has attracted numerous participants from Butuan and from other cities, towns and provinces.

During the conduct of Barangay Visitations, PESO and BCMTC has extended various services such as giving of tarpaulins, training and employment counseling, referral, massage sessions, and information dissemination. In effect, more people have come to know of the program and its benefits. With this, Barangay Health Workers has enrolled as PGS scholars in Massage Therapy training (80 hours) to better equip them on their job as health providers of the barangay.

The recent implementation of the Pangulong Gloria Scholarships (PGS) and I-Care Scholarships (of which the City Government and TESDA each has counterparted 1.5 M Pesos/year for three (3) years) has created extra clamor from the public to enroll at BCMTC. The ever growing influx of aspiring applicants, and the anticipated opening/introduction of new courses, has prompted Dr. Zaportiza to seek assistance, aside from the Chief Executive, from willing and able sources for the transfer of the center to a bigger area. In response, Representative Jose S. Aquino II, has pledge Fifteen Million Pesos from his Countryside Development Fund for the construction of a new BCMTC at the Butuan City Sports Complex.

For placement and referral of graduates, BCMTC takes advantage of its being under the umbrella of PESO. From time to time, PESO facilitates provincial recruitment activities and mega job fairs. It also stores a databank of graduates available for future and immediate employment referral. In addition, PESO has direct link with licensed recruitment agencies in terms of supplying manpower, especially in the areas of Care giving, Massage Therapy, Household Services, and Hotel & Restaurant jobs.

This coming June 2009, representatives of the City Government (including the PESO Manager/BCMTC Director) will scout for possible employers/institutions in Alberta, Canada. It is hoped that a Memorandum of Agreement will be forged between the City Government and the Canadian counterpart to fast-track the deployment of BCMTC graduates

V. Innovation

Innovation is discovering new ways of creating value. In a successful organization, innovation is sustainable and on-going, rather than a process characterized by succession of “boom and bust” events.

Responsive to the needs of the people, the city government devised a program that seeks to provide affordable employability enhancement training to people who wish to land jobs outside and inside the country. Thus, Butuan City Manpower Training Center came into existence. To supplement this is the Fly Now, Pay Later Program that aims to provide financial assistance to placed OFWs – an interest-free credit facility of the City. Several support programs such as placement and referral, jobs fairs, provincial recruitment activities, pre-employment orientation seminars, and passporting services are put in place thru PESO.

In its early days, BCMTC was overwhelmed by female applicants who were trained in Household services (80 hrs). Later on, male enrollees significantly grew in number. As more individuals came to know of the program, BCMTC was no longer exclusive to residents of Butuan but was opened to everyone who wishes to undergo training, but under a different paying scheme. Butuanons, being the priority beneficiary of BCMTC enjoy a discounted training fee.

From the initial 80 hours of training regulation, Household Services was updated to NC II 372 hours to accommodate the minimum requirements of POEA. Thus, graduates no longer need to re-train at training centers in Manila since BCMTC is already accredited and recognized by TESDA as sufficient.

Courses in Caregiving NC II and Massage Therapy NC II were soon offered. BCMTC staff was developed, volunteer-trainees were accepted, and PESO Personnel carry out teaching jobs. Even Dr. Zaportiza, the training director, teaches 2 subjects. In Caregiving NC II curriculum, Basic English, Basic Computer, Work Ethics and Personality Development are added to further boost the capabilities of trainees.

Trainees were required to do On-the-Job-Training and clinical exposures at designated areas. Whenever needed, BCMTC participates at various programs sponsored by government and non-government organizations. During barangay visitations, BCMTC provides free services such as Massage sessions and Livelihood Demonstration.

In coordination with TESDA, the city government gives out scholarships aside from the Pangulong Gloria Scholarship, attracting more individuals to enroll at BCMTC.

To keep track of the employment status of graduates, BCMTC established linkage with the 86 Barangays of Butuan. Whereabouts of graduates are channeled to the office thru designated barangay officials. Those outside Butuan City are monitored thru text and phone call. Others are contacted thru emails and instant messaging services such as YM.

Since 2006, the program has grown dramatically. A proposed new building is presently worked out to house the training center in the very near future. Construction will begin sometime this year (2009). Additional amenities and equipments will be procured and new courses will be offered. Additional competent manpower will be recruited to preserve training standards of BCMTC.

VI. Transferability and Sustainability

This local government unit initiative, Butuan City Manpower Training Center, is one of the identified people’s needs to improve their quality of life and as a response to global challenge.

The Sangguniang Panlungsod members in unison with the quest of the City Mayor of Butuan City voluntarily share out their time, talent, treasure and effort in supporting the program. Several ordinances were passed and approved, one is SP Ordinance No. 2998-2006, “An Ordinance Establishing the Butuan City Manpower Training Center and for Other Purposes.”

Ordinances pertaining to Registration Fees was enacted and approved by SP Ordinance No. 3276-2007, “An Ordinance Amending SP Ordinance No. 2998-2007 Particularly Section 8 and its Subsections and for Other Purposes”. The said ordinance covers the Registration Fee for residents and non-residents of Butuan City on Pre-employment and Household Services (372 hours as required by TESDA), Household Review Course (3 days) and Caregiver Review Course (1 week) and the corresponding Certification fee for the trainees.

SP Ordinance No. 3304-2008, “An Ordinance Further Amending Sub-sections of Section 8 of SP Ordinance No. 2998-2006 as amended by SP Ordinance No. 3276-2007, and for Other Purposes” deals with the Registration Fee for 6-Month Care-Giving Program for both residents and non-residents of Butuan City and also additional fee for miscellaneous expenses to cover the materials, supplies, insurance, transportation and other expenses related to the course.

These ordinances manifest the high sustainability of BCMTC program. Nonetheless, the city government officials and the PESO Manager hope for the institutionalization of the program as soon as they can find an appropriate institution, aside from TESDA, to become their partner as part of its growing up. This will strengthen the program’s sustainability in the future even if a change in administration occurs. The 15 Million Pesos fund pledged by Representative Aquino for the construction of the new BCMTC is already perceived as the light in the tunnel. Comprehensive lay-out, floor plans, and technical drawings of the new BCMTC are already in place, drafted by the City Architect himself.

Introduction of other technical-vocational courses will be offered soon by the city government to provide further alternatives to the people. This includes Housekeeping NC II, Barista NC II, Bartending NC II, Welding, Pipefitting, and Light/Heavy Equipment Mechanic Training. Such upgrading aims in delivering sustainable and practical training programs suitable to the people’s needs, based on the demands of the market and prospective employers in the Philippines and around the world.

Other LGUs can easily replicate and transfer this employability enhancement mechanism. As a matter of fact; neighboring cities and provinces are taking Butuan City Manpower Training Center as benchmark in improving or establishing their own manpower training centers. The interest-free credit facility of Butuan has also earned praises from other LGUs and other agencies (both in private and in government).

Dr. Zaportiza, as the National Federation President of PESOPhil, is the leading ambassadress of the program. Through various travels, symposia, conferences, meetings, and invitations to speak, she campaign the cause of BCMTC to a multitude. BCMTC and the Financial Assistance to Placed Workers are deemed Best Practices of PESO-Butuan.

Strong political will is needed to carry on a program such as BCMTC. Coupled with competent personnel, proper decision-making, timeliness, and adequate training facility, BCMTC has succeeded through its early years of existence, and will continue to succeed with confidence in the coming years.

 

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