MANILA, Philippines — A co-working hub for women and aspiring creatives that would develop their skills and provide enterprise support and creative collaboration as well as equipping them with Artificial Intelligence-resilient skills have been launched by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
Called as the "Juana Creatives" hub, it was launched by TESDA Secretary Kiko Benitez on March 30, 2026.
In his speech, Benitez said that the initiative expanded technical vocational education and training (TVET) into the creative and cultural industries while making learning more accessible for Filipinos who wanted to explore creative skills outside traditional work hours.
"[T]his initiative helps future-proof creative livelihoods by focusing on skills that remain distinctly human—craft, design, storytelling, and cultural expression—even as artificial intelligence reshapes industries,” Benitez added.
Juana Creatives aims to provide an inclusive environment for freelancers, hobbyists, cultural practitioners, and creative entrepreneurs by offering short, industry-led courses and workshops across a wide range of creative disciplines, with flexible schedules that include evenings and weekends to accommodate working professionals.
Among the programs that the participants can learn include pottery and ceramics with Studio Roman, scent making with Fragrance Factory, leather craft with Everything Green, pattern making and fashion with SLIMS, gemstone and jewelry making with Lapidary, photography and videography with the Philippine Center for Creative Imaging, film production with the Film Academy of the Philippines Guilds, digital embroidery with Norde, and animation with TESDA HRDC (Human Resource and Development Center) and the Animation Council of the Philippines.
The hub aims to support the development of creative competencies that are less susceptible to automation, ensuring that learners remain competitive and adaptable in an AI-driven economy through focusing on hands-on, craft-based, and culturally rooted disciplines
TESDA stressed that while the hub was launched in time for Women's Month, it was open to trainees regardless of gender.