BY MERRY CRIS DURON/DNSC Intern
THE DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region XI continues preparations for the establishment of the DSWD Academy, the first training facility for social workers in Mindanao.
The project is located on a 3-hectare property in Bago Oshiro, Davao City, and has an estimated budget of ₱50 million, with ₱30 million allocated for the construction of a dormitory designed to house students and trainees.
Building works started in December and are currently in the layout stage while addressing some site-related challenges.
During the On-Selebrasyon Talakayan: DSWD XI Anniversary Media Forum press conference on Wednesday, Rhuelo Aradanas, DSWD XI Regional Director, said that the projected completion of the project is either within this year or by early next year.
“The building might be finished this year, but it depends on the Department’s central office, since they are the ones overseeing the Academy. If not this year, then possibly next year,” Aradanas said.
The academy will cater to 100 up to 200 students from across the regions.
“The DSWD Academy can accommodate about one to two hundred students, since it will be done by batch,” he added.
The facility will welcome participants from all regions, serving as a Mindanao-wide hub for capacity-building, training, and professional development in social welfare services.
“Once it’s finished, it will serve as the main hub for capacity-building, training, and the development of social welfare services, further strengthening the Department’s ability to serve communities in the region,” he emphasized.
The DSWD Academy is set to become a key facility for social workers in Mindanao, aimed at enhancing social welfare services across the region.
