Mr. Jayson Villamor of the municipality of San Mariano, Isabela is the eldest of the five children of Mr. Romeo L. Villamor. His parents relied on the seasonal income they earn as farm laborers. To augment the needs of their family, Jayson decided to work as a Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) receiving honorarium amounting to P4,500.00 per month. But despite their collective efforts, they still struggled to cover their day-to-day needs, particularly the school needs of his young siblings.

But Mr. Villamor’s fortune would change when he was chosen by the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) as one of the participants to receive skills training by completing a 66-day Technical-Vocational course at TESDA-Isabela School of Arts and Trades (ISAT). He then subsequently earned a National Certificate (NC) II as a requisite for his job application abroad. He was also a recipient of the Pre-Employment Assistance Fund (PEAF) amounting to P5,000.00 needed for the processing of his application documents to Taiwan. As a way to socially prepare the participant for his venture abroad, SLP also provided Jayson with a pre-employment counselling.

Over the years, the rapid economic growth of Taiwan meant more demand for labor force, especially those coming from the Philippines.  Low birth rates and an increase in the aging population in Taiwan posed a challenge to their growing economy and made it more likely for companies there to seek labor force from other countries. The influx opened thousands of job opportunities for skilled and professional workers. The participant took advantage of this emerging labor market opportunity to seek his chances abroad.

The participant has been employed as a factory worker in New Hao Fiber Industrial Corporation in Taiwan since March 2017. He earns a base salary of P35,200.00 a month and overtime pay of around P25,000.00. The employer provides free lodging and health insurance benefits as well. His exposure on the manufacturing industry also further enhanced his skills. The experience in a new environment, in a foreign land, built his resiliency to overcome challenges.

His family now enjoys the fruits of his labor. He regularly sends money to support the needs of his family and the education of his siblings. To maximize his earnings, he invested in a small business by putting up a sari-sari store run by his mother and acquired a motorcycle for his family. His family earns an average of P10,500.00 per month from this.

He no longer wants the idea that his mother endures the tedious farm labor just to bring food on their table. This also serves as an additional source of income for the family and a safety net if ever he decides to go back for good in his home town. He also maintains a savings account for future endeavors. ### By: Melisen Taquiqui, SLP Social Marketing Officer with a report from: Chester Carlo M. Trinidad, OIC-Regional Information Officer