The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Academy, a key training and educational hub, is gearing up for a March reopening following extensive renovations. Justin Caesar Anthony Batocabe, Director of the Social Welfare Institutional Development Bureau, announced that the facility will be ready for turnover next week, with classes scheduled to commence in March. The academy, originally established in 1970 by then First Lady Imelda Marcos as the Social Welfare and Development Center in the Asia and the Pacific, has been transformed into a premier learning center aimed at becoming a hub of excellence for social work and community development in the Indo-Pacific Region.
Under the guidance of Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the DSWD Academy has seen significant upgrades not only in its physical infrastructure but also in its educational offerings. The academy is enhancing its certificate courses, training frameworks, and modules through collaborations with both local and international partners such as the Australia Awards and Alumni Engagement Program Philippines, ASEAMETRICS HR Solutions Inc., the Asean Social Work Consortium-Philippines, and the International Training Center (ITCILO). These partnerships aim to ensure that the training provided meets both local and international standards.
Batocabe emphasized the academy’s commitment to aligning its courses with the continuing learning credits required by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). Furthermore, the DSWD Academy plans to extend its educational services to other sectors involved in life and family building initiatives and local disaster response, broadening its impact across various industries.