July 21, 2019

Butuan City – TESDA further advances its gender and development (GAD) initiatives as it holds the GAD Focal Point System (GFPS) Assembly at the Butuan Grand Palace Hotel on July 15-17, 2019 in Butuan City, CARAGA Region.

The assembly aims to motivate all 50 GFPS members and GAD Focals from TESDA’s Central and 17 Regional Offices to strengthen the gender mainstreaming efforts of the Agency since the Regional GAD Committee of CARAGA was honored with GAD Trailblazer Award by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) in 2018.

“The participants will be capacitated on gender analysis, gender mainstreaming and new policies relative to GAD planning and budgeting,” said TESDA Secretary Isidro “Sid” Lapeña

“We need to strengthen our GFPS if we are to realize the “twin goal” of gender equality and women empowerment in the context of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET),” added Lapeña.

Newly elected Dinagat Islands Governor Arlene “Kaka” J. Bagao, former majority member of the House Committee on Women and Gender Equality and co-author of the Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity Equality bill delivered an inspirational message during the closing program, highlighting TESDA’s initiatives in pushing for GAD implementation in TVET.

To increase the awareness and appreciation of the GFPS focals in gender equality in TVET, deepening sessions on GAD mainstreaming and orientation on the Anti-Sexual Harassment Law and Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI) were discussed during the forum.

The TESDA GAD Agenda 2020-2025, which will serve as the guide in the formulation of the annual GAD planning and budgeting (GPB) for the next six years, was also presented during the conference.

The main goal of GAD in TVET is to contribute to gender equality and encourage and improve the participation of women in TVET.

The GFPS Assembly has been conducted annually since 2013, organized by the TESDA Women’s Center in Taguig.  It conforms to the Magna Carta of Women (RA 9710) as well as the Joint Circular No. 2012-01 of the PCW and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

 

Initial Launch

DDG Rosanna A. Urdaneta, Deputy Director General for Policies and Planning and Chair, GFPS-Executive Committee in her message to strengthen the GFPS and to build up the GAD monitoring mechanisms of TESDA.

 

Initial Launch

Dir. Florencio F. Sunico Jr., Regional Director, TESDA IV-A, Acting DDG for CLGUS facilitating a session on “Why TESDA needs to make change work for Women in TVET.”

 

Initial Launch

Hon. Arlene “Kaka” J. Bag-ao, Governor of Dinagat Islands delivering her message, highlighting TESDA’s programs in advocating for GAD implementation in TVET.

 

Initial Launch

TESDA’s Central and Regional GFPS focals with TESDA officials (L-R, sitting) Ms. Maria Clara B. Ignacio, TWC Chief/Chair of GFPS-TWG, RD Ashary A. Banto, DDG Rosanna A. Urdaneta, and RD Florencio F. Sunico Jr., together with Atty. Ainee C. Del Fierro, Chief of Legal Division, CSC-CARAGA.