THE regional office of the Department of Labor (DoLE) in South Cotabato is coming up with programs that will hone the skills of residents in the province in time for the eventual full-scale operation of the $5.6-billion Tampakan copper-gold project.

Lawyer Patricio Blanza, DoLE head for Sarangani and General Santos City, said they want to make sure that the province will be able to capitalize on the proposed Tampakan mining project in addressing unemployment and poverty in Soccsksargen or Region 12.

“The Tampakan mining project will be a big help in generating more employment opportunities and people need income to help themselves. We are preparing in terms of local-skills development,” Blanza said.

Blanza said the labor department will make sure that the Tampakan project prioritizes local employment in its hiring process.

“The Aquino administration identified employment as a pillar to offset poverty and we have been mandated to solve unemployment. We all should know that employment will be the key to solve poverty in the region,” Blanza said.

According to the 2011 first-quarter report released by the regional office of the National Statistical Coordination Board, provinces in Region 12 posted very high poverty incidence levels with Sarangani at 40.7 percent, Sultan Kudarat at 35.2 percent, and South Cotabato with 23.6 percent.

The report also showed that South Cotabato has the most number of poor families with a total of 78,304 or 34.8 percent of the total poor families in Region 12.

Blanza said he is hoping that the issues surrounding the Tampakan project are resolved soon to pave the way for its full operation. “It will be good for the labor sector.”

“The environment department must assess and ensure that all environmental measures and safety regulations are in place to make the Tampakan project work. When investors come in, employment opportunities follow,” he said.