INABANGA – A total of 1,200 students or two from each of this town's 50 barangays will earn skills shortly in one of 12 fields of their choice to increase their employability or equip them with entrepreneurial skills. This after Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado launched Friday the Project Skills Training Advocating Reliance on Self-Employment (STARS) at the cultural center here. The student-beneficiaries who may be youth or older individuals, barangay captains and councilors who chair the committee on education, Saint Paul Academy students and others Inabangnons witnessed the launching of the project that aims to make 1,200 currently jobless residents learn skills to make them productive.

Project STARS is a short-course skills training in the trade areas of welding, small engine repair, plumbing, basic electricity, TV/radio servicing, cellphone repair, driving, tour guiding, household service, reflexology, manicure/pedicure and hair styling/cutting. Mayor Jose Jono Jumamoy, Provincial Board Member Josephine Socorro Jumamoy, Vice Mayor Wenceslao Lao, the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) members and employees welcomed Aumentado, Vice Governor Julius Caesar Herrera, Project STARS head secretariat Romulo Tagaan, Assistant Provincial Treasurer Primitiva Ontong, Provincial Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB) Executive Vice President Romulo Cepedoza, Dr. Mutya Tirol-Macuno, and Training Coordinator Alegarbes of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and other guests.

Aumentado said the short course training will spur livelihood opportunities and  economic benefits to Inabangnons.  For his part, Herrera noted that many people are unemployed because they don't have the necessary skills. Training empowers the youth – and even the older ones – to start their own business afterwards, he added. Meanwhile, Board Member Jumamoy encouraged the participants to “contribute something to Inabanga” by enhancing their own selves to improve their lives while Mayor Jumamoy said his administration gives focus to intangible projects also but which can boost the town's economy.