Some 6,000 victims of human-rights violations under the Marcos regime have been listed as eligible claimants of the Non-Monetary Reparation being implemented in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda).
Tesda Director General Secretary Guilingg A. Mamondiong said the beneficiaries are part-off if the initial list from the Human Rights Victims Claimants Board (HRVCB).
Mamondiong said that Tesda, as one of the implementing partners of HRVCB, will not be giving out financial assistance to the human- rights victims.
Instead, Tesda will provide training interventions that would help the members and their families improve their chances of getting jobs, either as wage earners or self-employment.
“The eligible beneficiary may avail of the free skills training and other Tesda services, such as training needs assessment, career counseling, competency assessment and certification, entrepreneurship training and job referrals. They may avail themselves of multiple scholarship programs, but not simultaneously,” Mamondiong said.
He added the beneficiaries may go directly to the nearest Tesda office to inquire about available scholarship programs, such the Training for Work Scholarship Program, Private Education Student Financial Assistance, Special Training for Employment Program and Language Skills Training, to avail themselves of the training programs.
In the absence of a surviving human-rights victim, the benefit can be availed of by one of the human-rights victim’s qualified dependents.
After the human rights victim has completed the training, the Tesda will endorse the eligible graduate certificate to the Public Employment Service Office of the local government units for job referral.
The government recognizes the heroism and sacrifices of human- rights victims during the martial- law regime from September 21, 1972, to February 25, 1986.
“It also acknowledges its moral and legal obligation to provide reparation to the victims, as part of their right to access to justice, with the objective of ending human-rights violations committed within its territory by state agents,” Mamondiong said.
Aside from Tesda, the HRVCB met various government agencies to discuss and clarify obligations to provide nonmonetary reparations for victims of human-rights violations during martial law (ML).
These government agencies include the Commission on Human Rights, departments Social Welfare and Development; Health, Educationand Commission on Higher Education and the Interior and PhilHealth.