MANDALUYONG GOVERNMENT SHOWCASES COMMUNITY-BASED PRODUCTS DEVELOPED DURING THE PANDEMIC

Processed meat, pastries, food preserves, as well as electrical and welding services are some of the products and services that were developed by residents in several barangays in Mandaluyong City during this pandemic through the partnership of the city government and the Mandaluyong Manpower and Technical-Vocational Training Center (MMTVTC).

According to Midge Tampinco, who heads the MMTVTC, many Mandalenos who lost their jobs and livelihood when lockdowns took place grabbed the opportunity of skills training offered in their barangays. Others who still have work decided to learn another skills as an alternative.

In Barangay Daang Bakal, chairman Richie Bassig helped selected residents enroll in bread and pastry making for free under the barangay’s ‘Flour Power Project.’ This now powers the community bakery in Daang Bakal and is home to the famous ‘Enchiemanda.’ On the other hand, Barangay New Zaniga Chairman Liza Cruz offered resident women food pickling lessons and learned how to make chili garlic oil and kimchi – a famous Korean side dish, while Chairman Katrina Abejar of Barangay San Jose enrolled several residents training in making bicho and chocoball truffles, as well as hand sanitizers.

For Barangay Addition Hills, Chairman Lito Cernal offered food processing training for  residents as part of the barangay’s Pandemic Econonomic Recovery Assistance (PERA) Livelihood Project. Its success created the Addition Hills Best brand of tocino and beef tapa. Soon, the brand will also have its own hotdogs and chicken ham.

Meanwhile, Barangka Drive Chairman Darwin Fernandez had all firefighter volunteers in his area to undergo electronic product assembly and servicing. All the participants graduated from the course and have secured national certification (NC) II. Now, they can also do basic servicing of consumer electronics.

Residents of Barangay Plainview and Buayang Bato were offered shielded arc welding skills training. Chairman Reynaldo Nobela of Buayang Bato even obtained four welding machines for his beneficiaries so they can put into practice what they’ve learned and those who underwent training have already made metal plant stands and racks.

“These are just some of the successful graduates from and community-based products developed  with the help of Mandaluyong Manpower through the initiative of the city government,” Tampinco said during her presentation at the flag raising ceremony last Monday in celebration of the 50th year of the Mandaluyong Manpower and Technical-Vocational Training Center. “Some have even uplifted their lives and are already living abroad or have created their own businesses from the skills training they’ve acquired.”

Tampinco also presented during the short program Mandaluyong Manpower’s  skilled and invaluable trainers in automotive servicing, basic computer servicing, computer system servicing, bread and pastry production, food processing, dressmaking, electronic product assembly servicing, electrical installation and maintenance, refrigeration and airconditioning servicing,  shielded metal arc welding, massage therapy, beauty care and hairdressing, housekeeping, food and beverages services, and events management services.