TESDA reactivates advisory council for women’s center

January 3, 2019

TESDA Director General, Secretary Isidro S. Lapeña, recently led the oath taking ceremony for the members of newly reactivated Center Advisory Council (CAC) for the TESDA Women’s Center (TWC) in Taguig City last December 5, 2018.

The new CAC is composed of Chairperson Pacita “Chit” U. Juan.  Members of the council include: TESDA Deputy Director General for Policies and Planning, Rosanna A. Urdaneta, and PCW Chairperson Rhodora M. Bucoy, both representing the government sector; Ma. Aurora “Boots” Geotina-Garcia representing Women NGO; Carolyn I. Sobritchea, PhD., the academe; Teresita “Tes” Borgoños, the industry/construction sector; Gilda Patricia C. Maquilan, the business sector; and, Fatima Aliah D. Cimafranca as representative of services/financial intermediation.

The CAC was reactivated October 2018 through the initiative of DDG Rosanna A. Urdaneta, with her strong commitment to support woen empowerment.  The main objective for the reactivation of the CAC is to provide policy advice, guidance, and to build wider networks for the TESDA Women’s Center (TWC).  The reactivation of the CAC aims to accelerate advancement of women empowerment in the TVET sector.

The priorities of the new CAC include mapping out industry needs to match with the priority sectors and identify relevant courses for women that are attuned to the demands of industries.  The council also fully supports TESDA’s gender and development (GAD) mandate of increasing the enrolment of women in traditionally male-dominated fields.

Appointed by the TESDA Director General, the CAC members have a tenure of one year, or until Dec. 5, 2019.

The original Center Advisory Council of the TWC was established in 1999 with former Senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani as Chairperson with members from the business, labor union, NGO, academe, and the government sector.

Located within the TESDA Complex in Taguig, the TWC is the lead technical vocational education and training (TVET) institution of excellence in women empowerment that advocates and provides programs and services geared towards quality-assured, inclusive and gender-fair TVET.  It is an internationally accredited TVET institution by the Asia Pacific Accreditation and Certification Commission (APACC) with Gold level status.  The TWC has also been recently recognized as an IMI-approved Centre by the UK-based Institute of Motor Industry.