With guidance and support from the TESDA Director General, Sec. Suharto “Teng” Mangudadatu, Ph.D., the following TESDA Official and Personnel visited a Women's Center Facility in Buluan, Maguindanao Del Sur, BARMM on June 4-5, 2024: PLO Executive Director Floramel Joy Sonsong, TWC Chief Mylene Somera, and Senior TESD Specialist and GAD Focal, Joenna Tabu Tattao

The activity was aimed at achieving the following objectives: (1) Visit and assess the Women's Center Facility to determine the needs of the target TVET beneficiaries in the community; (2) Conduct consultations with the local government of Maguindanao Del Sur and nearby Offices to understand the processes, challenges, and opportunities to empower more women in the communities; (3) Provide recommendations to the Local Government of Maguindanao Del Sur on how to adopt the good practices of TWC/NTCW and to mainstream other GAD-related enabling mechanisms in the organization; and (4) Strengthen the nationwide expansion of programs and services of TWC/NTCW in line with the advocacy to promote gender equality and women's empowerment in TVET.

During the visit, the officials and staff members of the Provincial Government of Maguindanao Del Sur and its Facility of Maguindanao Women and Children Peace and Action Center presented the background and target programs and services of the institution primarily focused on women and girls victim-survivors of gender-based violence.

The main objectives of the facility mentioned above are also aligned with the vision of TWC: address the needs of women and girl victim-survivors of gender-based violence and women and girls in need of assistance, and assist them in the recovery and reintegration and the opportunity of continuing normal lives.

The participants from TESDA also visited the GAD Offices at the Provincial Government Offices of Maguindanao Del Sur and Sultan Kudarat to understand their current programs and services in gender mainstreaming and promoting gender equality and social inclusion in the community.

The Provincial Offices have remarkable GAD activities and advocacy activities to reach more women and those in the marginalized sectors of society.

After the 1-day On-Site Visit at the Maguindanao Women and Children Peace and Action Center, TWC shall initiate to forge a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Provincial Government of Maguindanao Del Sur to collaborate on empowering more women and girls in the communities through an area-based and demand-driven TVET and share knowledge and capabilities to further mainstream Gender and Development, Women's Empowerment, and Social Inclusion advocacies in the Facility.