“’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” — Jeremiah 29:11
“After passing a 10-day technical-vocational education training, a job offer is waiting for you in Manila.”
That was the promise ANCOP gave TVET trainees in the city of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro.
39 trainees; young parents and male adults from three different parishes, who have no employment skills, have undergone a 10-day technical-vocational education training, solely focusing on masonry, welding, and carpentry from February 17-27, 2025.
Successfully passing the NCII trade test will also give them the opportunity to work abroad—a blessing that could transform their life for the better.
Driven by pure determination
The humble church of the Divine Mercy Chaplaincy overlooks a wide fishpond, while on the left wing, around twenty workers were busy laying down hollow blocks and plastering the wall with cement.
The rest of the workers—done with their task—took a rest under the shade of a nearby tree.
“They’re currently having a trade test,” Engr. Maki explains while closely observing the men wearing hard hats, tirelessly working together to smoothen out a 4-feet-tall wall.
Under the searing heat of the afternoon, mild gusts of wind mixed with the dust and sand, and the sound of shovels scraping the mortar on the ground filled the air of the Chaplaincy.
The skilled workers looked determined to get their task done, applying what they had learned from their recent lessons.
“Mahirap lang pa-kapitin ‘yung palitada,” (The plaster is quite difficult to adhere [to the wall]) Marco, a trainee, observes as he brushes off sweat across his brow using his dusty sleeves.
It is challenging, but the reward is great.
“We need skilled workers to develop instead of taking shortcuts and hiring laborers without expertise,” explains Engr. Maki of DATEM Inc.
They want to preserve the dignity of work by hiring people with sufficient training and skill.
He also emphasizes that being a skilled person will set you apart from laborers who lack experience.
A bond strengthened by teamwork
Nilo, 43, honestly shared about the most challenging aspects of his training, “Sa plastering, ’yung mortar, minsan matigas, minsan malambot,” (During plastering, the mortar is sometimes stiff, and sometimes mushy.)
Although, he was able to figure out the nuances of the technique by combining what he learned in the by-the-book lectures and his past experiences from his recent sidelines.
“..kaso kasi kapag sa residential, one week o two weeks, wala ka na agad trabaho..” (In residential projects, after one week or two weeks, you’re already jobless.), he shared.
Nilo realizes that it’s best to undergo proper groundwork and take standard training for an established company.
On the other hand, Ian, 33, happily shares that he did not just gain expertise in masonry, he also found new friends as well.
“Nadagdagan ko po ‘yung aking mga kaibigan, ‘yung mga hindi ko kakilala noong una, ngayon, nakakausap ko na,” (I have new friends, strangers are now people I can talk to.)
All the trainees came from different parts of Oriental Mindoro; these people with different stories share one prayer—to have a stable job to provide for their families and loved ones.
Highly skilled trainers from D.M. Consunji Inc., Engr. Reinfeld Collado and Engr. Romeo Manabat Jr., spearheaded the training.
The trainees were given feedback and graded based on their knowledge in utilizing different masonry tools; their job scope and limitations; and how they were able to apply their learnings to produce quality output.
Soon, the warm Mindoro air started to cool down, and the trade test concluded before sunset.
The passing trainees were determined, and the trainees who were unable to pass will be given another day to retake.
“It is the security to maintain a sense of quality so that the construction will meet the standard requirements of the clients and community,” Engr. Maki explained the significance of having trade tests for the trainees after 10-day training.
He mentioned that it also gives them a sense of pride that they indeed deserve the job.
The trade test, a necessary step, is seen not as a hindrance but as a key to untold opportunities.
No sacrifice goes unnoticed in the eyes of the Lord
The next day, the trainees who passed were allowed to process their medical requirements with the help of ANCOP Head of Oriental Mindoro, Bro. Manny and Sis. Ingrid Priela.
They will soon be deployed to Manila with an opportunity of getting hired by DATEM Inc.
The rest were encouraged to redo the trade test by laying down concrete hollow blocks, “Nasimulan niyo na ang training, mas mainam na tapusin niyo na rin para makapasa,” (You have started the training, you might as well finish it to pass.)
Bro. Evan Buban, an ANCOP Livelihood Coordinator, inspired the rest of the trainees to keep on going.
One by one, the trainees stood up, wore their hard hats and their reflective vests, and marched to the site, determined to retake and pass the trade test.
The technical-vocational and educational training was not just a test of one’s physical strength and the volume of outputs one can deliver in a day.
It also revealed the resilient spirit of a skilled worker, how a pure heart and mind that is set in the Lord recovers from a life setback.
As we heed the call, let us be grateful for the Lord’s opportunities because when it rains, it pours.
These 39 men struggled to provide for their family and grabbed every temporary sideline just to make ends meet.
And through their unwavering prayers, each sacrifice they make for their loved ones does not go unnoticed by God.
Through the training, these 39 men are now skilled workers, ready to answer every opportunity that the Lord sends them.
