“ Business Center for the Products and Services of Persons with Disabilities”

Tahanang Walang Hagdanan (TWH)

Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, Inc.

humble beginnings…..

• Founded in 1973, TWH was established to be a venue for rehabilitation, training and skills development of persons with disability in preparation for their re-integration in the mainstream of society.

• The plan was only a rehabilitation and training center but because of difficulty in job placement, TWH started the sheltered workshop to provide livelihood opportunities.

TWH is located in Cainta, Rizal

Inaugurated on Feb. 21, 1973

Metal craft

Woodcraft and Sewing

Packaging Services (medicine and fishhook)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SR. VALERIANA BAERTS, ICMFOUNDER/CHAIRMAN

MANUEL V. AGCAOILIPRESIDENT/CEO

JOCELYN C. GARCIAEVP / CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER

ENGR. FELIX M. GONZALEZCHAIRMAN – FINANCE

COMMITTEE

EXTERNALAUDITOR

THERESITA LLORENHEAD, SPECIAL PROJECTS

EXECUTIVE ASST

VIRGIE MONTILLAADMINISTRATIVE &SOCIAL SERVICES

DIRECTOR

ANGEL VILLAFUERTEPUBLIC RELATIONS & RESOURCE DEV’T.

DIRECTOR

MIAMIN GARCIAFINANCE

DIRECTOR

LITA EVANGELISTAWORKSHOP OPERATIONS

DIRECTOR

LOLITA TUAZONSALES &

MARKETINGDIRECTOR

CLAIRE LLENARESHUMAN

RESOURCE &DEVT MANAGER

SOCIALSERVICES

ADMINISTRATIVE

RESOURCEMOBILIZATION

RECYCLING

PUBLICRELATION

RIZA LAGUNEROACCOUNTING

MANAGER

VIRGIE BATUIGASTREASURYMANAGER

BEN LAGUNEROMATERIAL MGT.

& CONTROL MANAGER

CARLITO DERIGAYPROD. SERVICES

MANAGER*UNILAB

*FISH HOOK*KILN DRYING

ROWENA MONDEJARSALES &

MARKETING MANAGER

GS OUTLETBAZAAR

COMPANY EXPO

PRODUCT RESEARCH&

DEVELOPMENT

ITSERVICES

SPORTS &RECREATION

WELFARE

CBR

TRANSPORTATION

MAINTENANCE

SECURITY

CANTEEN

PERSONNELADMINISTRATION

TAHANANG WALANG HAGDANAN, INC ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

MARICEL CANDOLEPUBLIC RELATIONS &

RESOURCE DEV’T. MANAGER

ENGINEERINGSERVICES

EXECUTIVECOMMITTEE

EXECUTIVESECRETARY

WORKSHOP OPERATIONS

MANUFACTURING SERVICES

METALCRAFT

WOODCRAFT

NEEDLECRAFT

UNILAB PACKAGING

FISH HOOK

KILN DRYER

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

CALL CENTER

TWH partnership with PACAP

• PACAP’s support had been instrumental in upgrading the capacity and capability of Woodcraft Department in the 80’s. The grant was used for the procurement of machineries and equipment.

• In 1994, The encoding department was established thru PACAP grant to provide additional employment opportunities to PWDs with computer skills.

A Community-Based Rehabilitation Program

In 1994, TWH started organizing the PWDs in nearby communities thru the Community Based Rehabilitation Program in partnership with CBMI. To reach out and extend the same services provided in the center.

A Business Center

• TWH has been giving training on skills development and entrepeneurship to PWDs and was able to come up with products that would make a niche in the market. However, its endeavors seem to lack in strength and stability. The difficulty lies on how, when and where to market the products and services.

In 2006, TWH joined the World Banks project grant competition and was awarded 1 million for the project “Business Center for Products and Services of PWDs” (PACAP funded projectIt aims to tap the economic potentials of PWDs, which have been largely constrained by limited exposure

The Business Center serves as marketing arm of the products, facilitates access to local and international market, and provides a venue for marketing transactions.

OBJECTIVES

• To increase the income of PWDs by facilitating the marketing of their goods and services

• To build the entrepreneurial capacity of PWDs in producing their goods and/or rendering services and package them to enhance marketability

• To expand the support base of PWDs in terms of addressing their economic needs

Management• The Business Center is under the

management of Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, banking on its experience in dealing with various clients, joining biddings organizing trade fairs, bazaars, and the like.

•Advertising and promotion of products through brochures, flyers, the internet and other means of communication; •Market the products and get work orders through, sales calls and negotiations with private corporations, individual businessman and the International market ;

•Motivating and coordinating with PWD entrepreneur groups and individuals to bring their products in the business center

•Technology transfer and seminars on entrepreneurship and tie-up with professionals, govt. agencies, private sector for market and business development programs

•Product research and development (R&D) to determine market trends, packaging, labeling and product costing

•Advocacy and lobbying for pwd issues and concerns

We develop the product and the market…..

Project Results

• Build the entrepreneurial capacity of Persons with Disability

• It has facilitated the marketing of products and services of Persons with disability

• It has helped increase the level of awareness on the issues and concerns of Persons with disability.

• Persons with Disability in the communities were reached out and given the opportunity to join the skills training and capability building seminar organized by the business center.

PWDs at work in the community Rattan Weaving and Candle Making

Bag making using Water Lily

Community Meetings

Challenges and Lessons Learned• Price competitiveness - most of the products are labor

intensive that requires higher labor cost, hence, some processes were modified without sacrificing the quality of the products.

• Lack of working capital – some members cannot easily replenish their items at the outlet when their products are sold because of lack of revolving capital. The Business center further works on addressing this concern and studying the possibility of adopting Micro Finance as one way to keep them in business and eventually become self sustaining.

Finished Products Educational Materials

Tetrapak made furnitures

Customized mobility aids

Dep-Ed School chairs project

DepEd Project – Educational Materials

Training on Market awareness and Product Costing

Exhibits

PRODUCTS• Educational materials• Toys and puzzles• Corporate giveaways• Home décor from recycled items and native

materials• Bags• Greeting cards• Mobility aids• School chairs• Novelty items• Houseware and kiddie furniture

from BERNALESHANDICRAFTS in Quezon

from DELOS REYESHANDICRAFTS from GINTONG

PANGARAP &GREGGY’S CHICHARON

from LEO’S NATIVEHANDICRAFTS Pampanga

from MAJJICKMARCELO

from RODRIGOMABELLA

from Group of Women with Disability

from TWH ITEMS

Marketing Strategies• Center’s target customers are government agencies

(including LGUs) and private corporations.

• Linking the Business Center to companies thru its Corporate Social Responsibility

• PWD’s as Marketing Representatives

• Network with International PWD organization like Workability International

• Work harder on the credibility of the pwd business through quality, quantity and timeliness

Market Opportunities

• Corporate Social Responsibility of Companies• Participate in regular bidding and constant

monitoring of notices through (GPS)• Executive Order 417 – Directing the

Implementation of Economic Independence program for PWD.

• Organization and joining bazaars and trade fairs• E-malls, Outlets • Replicate the project Internationally by

networking with pwd groups

“ IT IS NOT WHAT A MAN HAS LOST BUT WHAT IS LEFT THAT IS IMPORTANT”