In Negros Oriental, Central Visayas Region, a P18.5 million Sugar Workers Training and Livelihood Center (SWLC) will shortly be built.

This came when Lilia Estillore, the OIC director for the Department of Labor and Employment-7 (DOLE-7), successfully defended the proposed budget during discussions of the Sugar Tripartite Council (STC), which were presided over by Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma.

The local government unit (LGU) of Tanjay City offered a 1,000-square-meter lot in Barangay San Isidro for the proposed SWLC, which was first suggested in 2011 and has since undergone several renovations and upgrades.

“We are delighted knowing that a big project that will benefit the workers in the District Tripartite Councils in Negros Oriental will finally be materialized after years of being just on the pipeline. We are very grateful to all DOLE key officials headed by Secretary Laguesma and the representatives of the millers, planters, and workers sectors present during the deliberations held in Manila last December 15, 2022,” Estillore said in a statement.

Estillore had to defend the necessity of building the center and added that it "will give the sugar workers and their dependents, as well as the planters, a place where they can focus on the conduct of their orientations, seminars, and training about the programs and services of DOLE, Tesda (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority), and all other training institutions."

She said that the technical training would be crucial for maintaining the sugar business, which is currently experiencing a financial, technological, and human resource crisis.