Kabayan partylist Congressman Ron Salo today called on the Technical Education and Skills Authority or TESDA to conduct scale-up training programs to retool displaced Filipino local workers and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

These training programs aims to develop these workers into profitable and independent entrepreneurs, such as agro-entrepreneurs.

Salo also proposed to the Department of Agriculture to develop the agri sector to ensure food security and self-sufficiency. ” We cannot rely on imported goods,” says Salo, “particularly food products. ”

” Now that they are in a difficult position and without much means for their daily sustenance, the government must now carry upon its shoulders the responsibility or duty of ensuring their welfare by providing them with the needed skills that are attuned to prevailing conditions.

” Nonetheless, these challenges should also be an opportunity for us to develop our Human Resources and talents to make them more resilient, self-sufficient and independent. Instead of honing their skills to be employed abroad, let us retrain our workers to the needs of our new economy shaped by this pandemic.” adds Salo in a statement.