TESDA allots 3K scholarship slots for MILF, MNLF members

FILE: Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) (Photo: MNLF/Facebook)

MANILA — The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is allotting 3,000 scholarship slots for members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

“This is the first time we have allotted scholarship slots for them,” TESDA Deputy Director General Alvin Feliciano told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Tuesday.

Feliciano said the move aims to help uplift the lives of members of the MILF and MNLF, by providing them free training and assessment.

“We want them to get jobs or livelihood, and also to make them active participants of various government programs,” he added.

Those who will avail of the scholarship can choose from such courses as agriculture, automotive, construction, tourism, metals and engineering, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration, semiconductor, electronics, furniture and fixtures, garment and textile, health, and social services.

These courses can be taken within 40 days or less, according to TESDA.

The agency eyes MILF and MNLF members from Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, and Zamboanga to benefit from this program. They will also be provided with training support fund.

All they have to do is to go to the TESDA office in their areas, and enlist themselves.

Meanwhile, TESDA had also provided scholarships for communist rebel returnees.

“We have offered the same program to the members of the CPP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army),” Feliciano said, pointing out that this time, the agency has allotted slots for the MILF and MNLF.