As part of TESDA’s commitment to train, asses and certify public utility bus drivers in the region, a three day Training Program for Bus Drivers was conducted at the TESDA Regional Office Conference Room on March 14-16, 2011.  The program was conducted in coordination with the Land Transportation Office (LTO), the Tacloban PNP Traffic Division and the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC).

Participants to the training program were nine (9) bus drivers of bus companies operating in the region, ten (10) Driver NC II trainers of  the TESDA training institutes, one staff each from TESDA Leyte and So. Leyte POs, one from the Ormoc City Engineer’s Office and a trainer from technical vocational school in Ormoc City.
Main focus of the training program were the following units of competencies for Driving NC III:

• Obey and Observe Traffic Rules
• Observe Road Health and Safety Practices
• Implement/Coordinate Procedures During Accidents or Emergencies

The training program was facilitated by the following:

The basic and common competencies were handled by the trainers of the RTC while the core competencies of the qualification were handled by the three trainers from TESDA Training Institutions who recently attended a similar training program at the TESDA Central Office and were recently certified in Driving NC III (Bus/Straight Truck Drivers).

Training Manual containing information like traffic signs, fees for traffic violations committed and other related information were provided to the participants to serve as guide/reference especially for the bus drivers.

Institutional Assessment were given every after module and written portion of the  competency assessment was given on the 3^rd day of the training.   The practical portion of the competency assessment was conducted at the Government Center, Palo, Leyte right after the training on March 17, 2011.   Two bus companies, the Seven Brothers Bus Line and Lourdes Bus Line, allowed the use of their buses for the hands-on assessment.  All the candidates-participants of the training program were declared competent on Driver NC III (Bus/Straight Truck Driver) assessment.
The TESDA provincial offices, in coordination with the TTIs in their area, shall run the same program to PUB drivers in the locality.  Trainers and bus drivers who attended  the training in the region shall serve as facilitators in their respective provinces.   The trained bus drivers shall also be accredited as Competency Assessors during the conduct of the 1^st run of the National TVET Competency Assessment and Certification Week (NATCAC) on March 28-April 1, 2011.