52 OFW returnees in LU undergo wellness massage training

By Miriam P. Aquino

Thursday 5th of July 2012

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union July 5 (PIA) -- Fifty-two OFW returnees and dependents in La Union underwent a 5-day skills training on wellness massage on June 11-15 at the ORT Coop Training Center here.

According to Amapola Z. Villar, Labor Communications Officer of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration-Regional Welfare Office 1 (OWWA-RWO1), after the skills training on Cosmetology in the region, OWWA Regional Welfare Office I again implemented another livelihood program for returning OFWs particularly to those who were not able to attend the first skills training on Beauty Care.

Villar said that all the eighteen municipalities from the first and second districts of La Union were represented, except for the municipalities of Caba and Bangar. The five-day training class proceeded as scheduled, rain or shine, even during the June 12 holiday.

This said project is in partnership with the Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) which provided the starter kits for each participant and honoraria of P25,000.00 for the resource speakers and trainers, she added.

TESDA accredited resource speakers were tapped from the International Spiritual Material Therapeutic and Massage (ISMTM) of the City of San Fernando, La Union. The training team was headed by Thelma Tanganim (Masseuse) and Orgenio Tanganim (Masseur), both professionals in the art of massage therapy.

Part of the five-day training was a lecture, demonstration, hands-on exercises, and a quick discussion on Financial Literacy by OWWA-RWO1 Administrative Officer Ronaldo A. De Vera in preparation for aspiring entrepreneurs who wish to enter the Beauty and Wellness enterprise.

La Union Provincial Administrator, Dr. Geoffrey S. Tilan, Department of Labor and Employment 1 (DOLE1) Director Grace Y. Ursua, TESDA La Union Provincial Director Marissa Alcantara, and OWWA Officer-in-Charge Esperanza C. Cobarrubias challenged the participants to effectively apply the skills learned, use it as an income generating profession, and see it as a form to provide comfort and relaxation to others.

The trainors even assured that all the attendees of this skills training are competitive enough and ready to take the National Competency II accreditation of TESDA.

OWWA RWOI, TESDA ROI, PGLU, and the DOLE-ROI are planning to continue this successful undertaking through an upgrading skills training as a level-up program for the participants, Villar informed. (ANL/MPA-PIA1 La Union)