February 21, 2018

TESDA Director General, Secretary Guiling “Gene” Mamondiong signed an Inter-Agency Agreement on the Protection of Asylum Seekers, Refugees, and Stateless Persons in the Philippines on February 7, 2018 at TESDA Complex, Taguig City.

The agreement will create an Inter-Agency Steering Committee, headed by Department of Justice and composed of members from fourteen 14 different national government agencies, to ensure that refugees, asylum seekers and stateless persons or collectively referred to as “persons of concern” (POC) in the country is properly protected and assisted through the institutionalization of policies that would improve their access to rights and services.

TESDA, under section 16 of the agreement, will provide assistance to the POC though skills training and development, specifically identifying their skills need and creating initiatives that will allow the institutionalization of programs for the POC.

The signing was witnessed by Atty. Ruben Fondevilla, Assistant Chief State Counsel from the Department of Justice, TESDA Executive Director Luz. Victoria Amponin and representatives from United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Besides TESDA and DOJ other agencies that are part of the Steering Committee are: Bureau of Immigration (BI); Commission on Higher Education (CHED); Department of Education (DepEd) Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA); Department of Health (DOH); Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG); Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE); Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); Department of Trade and Industry (DTI); Public Attorney’s Office (PAO); Philippine Charity Sweepstake (PCSO); Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth); and Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).