B.E.S.T. success story of 4Ps beneficiaries in Davao City

A LOT CAN HAPPEN OVER TIME -- over a year ago, aspiring electricians of Brgy. Indangan in Davao City have become full-fledged electricians after their graduation for Project B.E.S.T. (Basic Electrician Skills Training) last April 18, 2018.

Project B.E.S.T. is a project of Davao Light and the Aboitiz Foundation in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)-Davao City and the Department of Social Works and Development (DSWD)- XI.

Fast forward only one year later, on April 29, 2019, and these beneficiaries have teamed up, formed “Barangay Indangan Electrician SLP Association” (BIESA) and have finally put up their very own hardware store.

Nineteen (19) beneficiaries, who are also part of the 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program), have become the co-owners of the hardware store situated along the premises of the Barangay Hall of Indangan. They have received a seed capital assistance from DSWD-XI under its Sustainable Livelihood Program worth P285,000 to jump start their hardware store. This, while also being the barangay’s on-call electricians should the community find concerns and problems with their electrical connections at home.

This is a good example of how the provision of opportunities for development will help disadvantaged members of the community alleviate poverty through skills training. Great success stories happen when different government sectors and private institutions unite and are in synergy to reach out and extend help where it is needed.

These electricians will remain hopeful as they have been armed with a complete set of skills, knowledge and grit to improve their status in life.

As Benjily A. Villanueva, who is one of the female electricians and co-owner of the hardware store, happily tellsDavao Light during their Hardware Store's formal opening ceremony, “Our completion to Davao Light's Project B.E.S.T was a stepping stone for us to improve our lives. It has honed our skills and knowledge when working with electricity and has opened a lot of doors like accepting electrical services where we can practice our skills as electricians and now running an electrical supply business.”.

Maningkamot mi ug samot para ang among gamay na tindahan, mulambo pa gyud puhon (We will try even harder so that our small store will become even more prosperous in the future), Villanueva added.