Personal Competencies and Work Engagement Among Muslim Women Executives in Tawi-Tawi

The effectiveness of organizational leadership is increasingly associated with leaders' personal competencies and their ability to foster positive workplace attitudes and behaviors. This study examined the personal competencies and work engagement of Muslim women executives in Tawi-Tawi. Specifically, it determined the level of personal competencies in terms of communication, integrity, stress management, and personal engagement; assessed employee work engagement based on vigor, dedication, and absorption; determined differences in personal competencies and work engagement when respondents were grouped according to profile variables; and examined the relationship between personal competencies and employee work engagement. The study employed a quantitative descriptive-correlational research design involving 24 Muslim women executives and 120 subordinates from selected government agencies and institutions in Tawi-Tawi. Data were collected using validated survey instruments and analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, means, standard deviations, Mann-Whitney U Test, Kruskal-Wallis H Test, and Spearman Rank-Order Correlation. Findings revealed that Muslim women executives demonstrated a proficient level of personal competencies and a very high level of work engagement. Communication emerged as the highest-rated competency dimension, while vigor obtained the highest rating among work engagement dimensions. Statistical analyses indicated no significant differences in personal competencies and work engagement across selected profile variables. Furthermore, the relationship between personal competencies and employee work engagement was found to be statistically insignificant. The findings suggest that Muslim women executives possess strong personal competencies and maintain high levels of engagement regardless of demographic and professional characteristics. The study highlights the importance of sustaining leadership development programs that strengthen communication, integrity, stress management, and personal engagement among women leaders.