CEBU – Two cities in Cebu province – Talisay and Naga – have implemented the Unlad Kabataan Program program for the out-of-school youth, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Eppie Partosa, DSWD’s focal person, said Naga and Talisay are concrete examples for the UKP program because of the implementation of the project.
She said the UKP is a program of the DSWD together with Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, which aims to help the OSYs and other disadvantaged youth to become self-reliant, economically productive and socially responsible citizens able to contribute to the development of their family and community.
The unemployment of youth in the region has become a big problem for the local government.
“The worst problem of the youth today is the unemployment. This problem should be given an immediate action by the government,” Daniel Cuda, PYAP President of Minglanilla, Cebu, said.
Doniciano Alforque, of Naga City Social Welfare and Development Office, said it is really hard to handle the OSYs in the community. “You need to be more patient and ask assistance from the barangay officials to support their snacks during monthly meetings,” he said.
He said they already conducted practical skills training program for the OSYs in Naga, which include beauty care and basic spa services, candle-making, basic electronics, and mobile phone repairs.
“In fact, there are trainees who already have their own business that made them successful entrepreneurs,” Alforque said. (Lee dela Cerna)
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