Why Career Guidance Matters — and Why Tungawan’s Mayor is All In

TUNGAWAN, Zamboanga Sibugay – For most students in small towns, choosing a career can feel like walking through fog — uncertain, confusing, and filled with pressure. But in Tungawan, the local government is helping to clear that path.

Mayor Angelito “Lito” Aniñon has thrown his full support behind the Career Guidance Program (CGP) of the Western Mindanao State University–External Studies Unit (WMSU-ESU) Tungawan, seeing it as a crucial bridge between education and employment — and, ultimately, between poverty and opportunity.

What is a Career Guidance Program?

A Career Guidance Program helps students and jobseekers understand their skills, interests, and career options. It involves career assessments, counseling, mentorship, and exposure to real-world work opportunities.

In simple terms, it’s a way to help young people find direction before making life-shaping choices — what course to take, what skills to train for, or what career paths to pursue.

For a town like Tungawan, where many families rely on farming or fishing and where employment opportunities are limited, career guidance can be transformative.

Why Mayor Aniñon’s Support Matters

Mayor Aniñon believes that empowering young people through education and career awareness is one of the most effective ways to break the cycle of poverty.

“Kung maihanda nato ang atong kabatan-onan sa karera nga angay para kanila, dili lang nato sila matabangan — mapausbong nato ang atong lungsod,” the mayor said.
(“If we prepare our youth for careers that fit them, we’re not just helping them — we’re building our town.”)

His administration’s support ensures that WMSU-ESU’s Career Guidance Program isn’t just a one-day seminar. The LGU is helping institutionalize it — connecting it with local industry needs, the Public Employment Service Office (PESO), and municipal scholarship programs.

Bridging School and Work

Tungawan’s collaboration with WMSU-ESU goes beyond classroom guidance. It opens pathways for practical training, skills development, and employment linkages, aligning education with what local industries actually need.

By backing this initiative, the mayor aims to reduce the skills mismatch that keeps graduates jobless; encourage youth to pursue technical-vocational and entrepreneurial paths; and strengthen partnerships between schools. government, and the private sector

Investing in Human Capital

For Mayor Aniñon, investing in people is just as important as building roads and markets. He sees the Career Guidance Program as part of a larger vision — a Tungawan where no young person is left directionless.

“Ang tinuod nga kalamboan, magsugod sa pagtabang sa katawhan nga makabalo unsay gusto ug unsay kaya nila,” he said.
(“True progress begins when people discover what they’re good at and what they’re meant to do.”)

The Bigger Picture

Career guidance may sound simple, but in places like Tungawan, it’s a step toward building a future-ready workforce — confident, capable, and hopeful.

When a mayor champions a program like this, he isn’t just guiding students; he is guiding the entire town toward a better tomorrow.

About The Author

Antonio Manaytay

Antonio Manaytay is a journalist, editor, and pastor reporting for Rappler and leading the Daily Sun Chronicle. A 2024 Klima Fellow, he covers climate, governance, and grassroots resilience in the Zamboanga Peninsula.

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