P4-M center to be set up in Olango

A P4-MILLION livelihood center will soon be constructed in Olango Island of Lapu-Lapu City.

Mayor Paz Radaza said that the budget for the project was approved in November and are already available.

The city government established a livelihood project providing free sewing lessons to residents of Olango Island.

Since the livelihood center has yet to be constructed, the student sewers are temporarily housed in a small area near the barangay hall.

Aside from sewing lessons, Radaza said welding and cooking lessons would also be offered after the livelihood center would be completed.

Virginia Empinado, who heads the project, said they started the project in 2008 and they had produced almost a thousand graduates now working in the Mactan Export Zone (MEZ).

Empinado said that MEZ always allots slots for their graduates even before they could finish their lessons.

Only Olango Island residents can avail of the free lessons. However, they still have to pay P300 for the maintenance of 16 sewing machines.

Meanwhile, Mayor Radaza revealed that a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) will soon be established in Olango Island.

Residents also expressed different views on the plan to make the 11-barangay island a separate municipality.

Sandy Truza, 37, habal-habal driver, welcomes the plan saying these would bring more investors to the island.

However, Colita Dano, 63, said she feared that the residents in the island might be driven away by the investors./REPORTER JUCELL MARIE P. CUYOS