COTABATO CITY, Oct 30 (PNA) — The Department of Trade and Industry here announced the successful training on production of bags from dried water hyacinth stalks in a program aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship among local sectors.
The 50 graduates include high school students and teachers, according to Carlito Nunez, city DTI chief.
In a statement Thursday, Nunez said the training was facilitated with the help of entrepreneurial groups the department has been providing with technology and market contacts.
Participants of the training were students and faculty members of the LR Sebastian Annex of the Cotabato City National High School.
They are the latest beneficiary of the DTI’s Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Roving Academy.
The activity was assisted by a group of skilled water hyacinth bag makers the office of DTI in Cotabato City had earlier provided with equipment through the department’s Shared Service Facility program.
Ruth Mokamad, auditor of the Rio Grande Pusaw Handicraft Association (RGPHA), share her expertise by lecturing on how dried water hyacinth stalks can be utilized for production of bags and home decors.
Nunez said his office is ready to provide livelihood trainings for students on the behest of school administrators.
He said Mokamad also encouraged participating students to be patient and diligent in their efforts to produce bags and home decors for their products to become competitive.
A workshop was facilitated by Mokamad with the help of DTI employees for the students to have hands-on experience in producing bags from water hyacinth by-products.
For other schools, students and teachers may coordinate with the DTI office so a training could be scheduled.
Early this month, the DTI facilitated an orientation on entrepreneurship involving 50 participants, mostly small local entrepreneurs and prospective traders.
The participants to the orientation activity, held at the function hall of the Southseas Complex in Cotabato City, were lectured on entrepreneurship development, basic bookkeeping, and on the intricacies of Republic Act 9187, also known as Barangay Micro Business Enterprises Act. (PNA)