Kalahi CIDSS program, through Community Driven Development (CDD), gives women training opportunities in highly skilled labor, originally dominated by their male counterpart.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) KALAHI  CIDSS tapped the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for scholarship grant on plumbing and masonry, for a total number of 51 Kalahi CIDSS Community Volunteers from Barangay Look and Pili.

Majority of the trainees were women comprising 55% or a total of 28 individuals. These trainings were conducted by Cabucgayan Vocational School in Biliran, one of TESDA’s accredited training institutions.

The 28 women – trainees  on plumbing and masonry assisted in the construction of the community-identified water system and drainage canal projects in Brgy Pili.

Along with their male counterpart, they were paid PHP 38.12 / hour/PHP 305.00 / day) for the construction of the water system and drainage canal, respectively.

All these volunteers passed the National Competencies Level II (NC II) Exam administered by TESDA. They have demonstrated competence in all units of competency to be a certified Plumber in their Barangay.

Previously, there were only 18 female workers during the Cycle 1 Sub-Project construction in Barangay Look and Pili. With the partnership of TESDA, the number of female workers involved in Cycle 4 increased to 65.

Also, they now earn an average income of PHP 1,539.15, a PHP 281.65 increase from the previous income of  PHP 1,257.50 in Cycle 1.

The involvement of women also saw the completion of the water system sub-project in Brgy. Pili,  9 days in advance than the original completion date on June 30, 2019. On the other hand, the drainage canal was finished 31 days in advance of the June 30, 2019, the target date of completion.

Training women in non-traditional skills is an investment in the community. Their newly acquired skills will be maximized in their area since these women will be based in their barangay as an on-call certified plumber and mason.

The active involvement of women in paid labor in Almeria has been recognized in the national attainment of the 85% rating which is three – fold the standard of 25% in the Kalahi CIDSS performance indicator.

Lolinda Bagdoc, TESDA trainee who was involved in the construction of water system, after undergoing the non-traditional training, said that she learned a lot.

She stated, “Sa training, nahibalo ko pandugtong sa mga hose. Daghan among nakan-onan. [In this training I learned how to connect the hosepipes. I learned a lot.]

Kalahi CIDSS’ principle supports Gender and Development Mainstreaming in its program implementation. It upholds that women are not limited to their reproductive and productive roles but could widen their occupational choices and opportunities to maximize their full potentials in society.#