Productive meetings were conducted with Education Coordinators and partners of SIFI coming from various mills and planters’ associations from the Luzon and Mindanao area. The events were made possible by SIFI LMRO Coordinator Ms. Eunice Cama and accompanied by Program Officers Mr. Joshua Balagtas for North Luzon, Mr. John Cena for South Luzon, and Mr. Jigz Sermonia for Mindanao.
The first coordinators’ meeting took place in Tarlac and Pampanga last May 2-3, 2019. The areas visited were Central Azucarera de Tarlac (CAT), Central Azucarera de Tarlac Planters Association (CATPA), Association of Sugar Planters of Central Luzon (ASUCAL), Sweet Crystal Integrated Sugar Mill (SCISM), Del Carmen Pampanga Sugar Producers Marketing Association, Inc. (DCPSPMAI) and Porac Pampanga Sugar Planters Association, Inc. (PPSPAI). The program accomplishments of North Luzon and the requirements for the EDAP grantees for the current school year were also discussed. Other important matters that were highlighted were the concerns for budget allocation for CY 2019 covering the four pillars of Education, Health, Livelihood and Advocacy.
Under the area of Mr. Joseph Bryan Sermonia in Mindanao, two gatherings were conducted in Bukidnon and Davao del Sur. Partners from Bukidnon, COSUCECO, DASUCECO and USPD-MPC attended the meetings held last May 6-7, 2019. Highlights of the agenda were the review of EDAP Guidelines, tentative schedules of EDAP orientations for the months of June and July, and budget allocations for 2019.
For the 2019 budget for skills trainings in South Luzon, Mr. John Cena has coordinated with Western Batangas Training and Assessment Center in Calaca, Batangas and ENZOTECH. He also reached out to the head of Platinum Training Center for a possible partnership. The training center is located in Ibaan, Batangas and offers various skills trainings such as food and beverage servicing, bookkeeping, and events management.
The various events with coordinators have made SIFI more engaged with their growing network of partner institutions with the goal of enhancing education and skills in various parts of the country.
