April 05, 2023

To cap off its National Women’s Month celebration, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) held the “Agenda ni Juana sa TVET Forum: Women and Everyone (WE) for Gender Equality and Inclusive Society.”

Last March 28, TESDA, through its Gender and Development (GAD) Focal Point System (GFPS), conducted the hybrid forum at the Tandang Sora Hall, TESDA Women’s Center in Taguig City.

The forum discussed the issues and matching strategies to address gender discrimination and promote social inclusion and safe spaces in technical vocational education and training (TVET).

The activity included three sessions: Promoting Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) towards a Gender-Responsive TVET discussed by the Gender and Development Consultant Chief Empowerment Officer of HerStore Asia, Carmen Rocelia Lopez; Embracing Gender Equity, Disability and Social Inclusion in TVET discussed by the Co-Founder and Operations Manager of Project Inclusion Network, Jim Nemeño; and, TESDA’s Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality discussed by eTESDA Supervising TESD Specialist Jacqueline Ali.

In his message, Director General Danilo P. Cruz expressed his solidarity with the Philippine Commission on Women’s advocacy on closing gender gaps in the country.

“Makakaasa kayo na TESDA will continue to advocate for inclusive growth and actively participate in gender mainstreaming to meet the specific skills and learning needs of marginalized and vulnerable TVET clients. We will ensure that this will be reflected in the TVET policy, programs and delivery”, DG Cruz said.

Meanwhile, TESDA Deputy Director General for Policies and Planning, Rosanna Urdaneta, who also serves as the Chair of the GFPS-Executive Committee, welcomed the participants of the activity.

“May this forum be a venue for meaningful and fruitful discussions as we all look forward [to] making every Juana and Juan of TESDA recognize inclusivity in TVET,” DDG Urdaneta said in her welcoming remarks.

PCW MusikJuana 2021 Grand Champion Lorymae Bariring, John Willace Tubalde, and Neil Salarda were present in the forum. Bariring graced the event with the performance of their champion piece “Si Juana Ako”.

TESDA has been implementing programs toward gender equality and has made significant accomplishments in GAD. The agency has also continuously advocated and promoted women’s participation in non-traditional courses and priority sectors.

“TESDA will continue to ensure the implementation of GAD policies and programs that will impact its internal and external clients,” DG Cruz said.



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