“I started doing this with Isang Gunting, Isang Suklay in 1984 sa Bulihan in Gen. Mariano Alvarez, under the Ramos administration,” says Mader Ricky. “I’ve worked under other administrations and this time, with Pres. Rodrigo Duterte naman. I love working with Sec. Mamondiong kasi straight siya, galit sa corruption. When he took over TESDA, he sent letters to various schools kasi dati, ang partnership is with schools. Sa mga sinulatan niya, nagbalikan ang sulat ng karamihan. It turned out, the schools where TESDA money are supposed to go, non-existent pala. So saan napunta yung pera? This time, hands on si Sec. Mamondiong kaya we partner with NHA in taking the training to the barangay level. Hindi kailangang magpunta ng participants sa schools dahil kami mismo ang pupunta sa kanila at lahat ng gagamitin sa training nila, libre. Noon pa, sinabi ko nang yung basta ire-relocate mo ang informal settlers won’t be that effective kasi wala silang jobs doon. So they just get their house and lots, then they sell it, tapos balik sila sa squatting sa siyudad. Ayoko ng doleouts, yung umaasa lang sa hingi. Dapat, you should help create opportunities for livelihood right doon sa lugar na nilipatan nila. That’s our goal, lalo pa ngayong maraming solo mothers na mag-isang pinapalaki ang mga anak nila.”
“Poverty is the biggest problem of our country and Pres. Duterte really aims to help uplift the plight of our poor,” says Sec. Mamondiong. “And we can do this by training our people. Right now, gustong-gusto ang Filipino skilled workers abroad, kilala sila sa buong mundo kasi masisipag. So we should train more of our people, even construction workers who we need for Pres. Duterte’s Build Build Build program. Kaya lang, after training them, they prefer to work abroad kasi mas malaki raw ang bayad sa kanila. So with the training we’ll do, they can put up their own family enterprises para sila maging entrepreneurs. We’ve already sent letters to all barangays so they can send their poor people to train with us.”