About 2,000 aspiring domestic helpers who have applied for overseas work we’re benefited of the domestic helper training course of the government which was launched in Soccsksargen Region or Region 12.

Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) Soccsksargen Region acting director said that they have tied up with the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) to conduct a domestic helper course training through the government's Special Employment Program for Mindanao (SEPM).

SEPM facilitates the deployment of skilled Filipino abroad. It is an interagency involving DoLE, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, TESDA, and other government agencies.

The program offers a free training as well as non-payment of placement and application fees until their deployment to Kuwait to aspiring overseas Filipino workers.

According to Ampuyas, the training covered six batches of domestic helper applicants from the region.

"The eligible applicants were made to undergo a three-day skills training as a pre-employment requirement for their work in Kuwait," he said.

He also added that DoLE Soccsksargen has signified to enlist at least 2,000 applicants to undergo the same training for this year.

Ampuyas said that the training program servers as their agency's contribution to the job generation program of the National Government.

Meanwhile, OWWA Soccsksargen Region currently has more than 500,000 OFWs deployed either as domestic helpers, skilled and professional workers.

Region 12 has led Mindanao's six regions in terms of the deployment of women workers abroad over the last three years. According to report from the National Statistical Coordination Board, six out of 10 OFWs coming from Mindanao are women, compared to only four in Luzon and Visayas.

Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, (North) Cotabato and the cities of Koronadal, General Santos, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.