DAGUPAN CITY—A German-based group that helps 65 countries all over the world including the Philippines is set to expand its programs on civic education, vocational training, rural development, and giving trainings to administrators in the North after it has given about 26 million Euro ($33 million) since it started operating in the country for the past 26 years.

Dr. Rainer Gepperth, director and deputy general manager of Hanns Seidel Foundation based in Munich, Germany told local reporters here that they do not only give financial but also software aids to Filipinos for the necessary skills trainings especially in rural areas.

He said he first arrived in the Philippines in 1978 and comes to the country twice a year thereafter.

“We try to support your efforts to have professional workers,” he said.

The trainings are dual, meaning on- the- job and on- the- school with the help also from the Philippine government and the companies which pay for the trainings of beneficiaries which are included in their networking for the possible employment of their trainees who are either out—of-school youth , unemployed who wish to be trained and adults.

Paul Schafer, resident representative for the foundation’s Philippine Office, said that they are working also on cooperative development training, vocational training like electrical or electronics, among others.

He said they are now training planning to expand in Pangasinan and other areas in Northern Luzon aside from their current program in Tarlac.

He described their Filipino partners as “very committed” to cooperativism and “are working full time” but “ they sometimes lack managerial skills.

He said they are concentrating on this area by providing training programs for managerial skills to improve their managerial capabilities.

Most of their trainors are Filipinos with some German experts to fill some gaps and to share experiences.

“We provide them way and avenue for technology transfer by sharing of experiences,” he said.

The two were here together with House Speaker Jose de Venecia to discuss some projects regarding the foundation and also about the possible shift to parliamentary form of government of the country.

Schafer said German and Bavarian governments are also providing the necessary funds for their operations to help their beneficiaries.

An information in the internet in the group’s website said that since its establishment on April 11, 1967, the Hanns Seidel Foundation has been practicing political education work with the aim of supporting "the democratic and civic education of the German people with a Christian basis" – as the foundation's statutes say.