Low tech before, IT teacher now

MANILA, Philippines - Age does not matter.

This was proven by a grandmother from Sultan Kudarat, who became the oldest information technology mentor hired under the government’s “Kabataan Ito” program.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported that its regional office in Sultan Kudarat has already hired 90 IT mentors, including 57-year-old Loreta Rotaquio.

Rotaquio has never seen or touch a computer in her lifetime yet showed efficiency as IT mentor after undergoing a 22-hour mentoring session from IT savvy youths.

DOLE regional director Ma. Gloria Tango said Rotaquio passed the test with flying colors prompting the labor officials to hire her as IT mentor despite her age.

While undergoing training, Rotaquio acquired skills in word processing and other basic information on the use of computer.

Rotaquio and 58 other residents of Esperanza town in Sultan Kudarat received from DOLE certificates of completion of training and now considered qualified IT mentor.

Tango explained that DOLE’s Kabataan Information Technology Opportunities or Kabataan Ito is an emergency employment program tailored fit for young people.

Under the program, the government will hire young IT experts who will teach idle young people on basic computer hardware familiarization, word processing and the use of Internet for research and communication.

The IT mentors are paid modest stipend per hour of their mentoring work.        

“The project is a learning and earning project with volunteerism as core philosophy,” Tango said.

While Rotaquio is the oldest among the IT mentors, a 12-year-old out-of-school youth was the youngest.

So far, DOLE has already hired 3,000 IT mentors nationwide who are now teaching an estimated 12,000 students in internet cafes, DOLE regional offices and government-accredited social partners.