Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian, together with the heads and representatives of the ASEAN Social Work Consortium-Philippines (ASWC-PH) member-associations, and University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) Chancellor Melinda DP. Bandalaria, signs the memorandum of understanding on Monday (June 19), which was aimed at strengthening the social workforce in the country through the DSWD Academy.

Under the agreement, the member-organizations of ASWC-PH and the UPOU will serve as learning service providers for the DSWD Academy as well as partners of the Department in providing technical assistance to social welfare and development intermediaries and other stakeholders.

The DSWD Academy is among the priority projects of Secretary Gatchalian that envisions establishing a learning facility to provide specialized training, capacity building activities, and other learning development interventions to social workers to enable them to meet the ever changing trends in social work practice. #