UP SURP and DILG conduct extensive training on Comprehensive Development Planning to Select SUCs nationwide: 5 JHCSC Faculty hurdled 6-day training on sectoral specialization

J.H. Cerilles State College sends 5-member team to attend the 6 – day “Extensive Training-seminar for Expanding Capacities for Comprehensive Development Planning (CDP) through State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and Local Resource Institutes (LRIs) towards Realizing Sustainable and Self-Reliant Communities” which was organized by the University of the Philippines School of Urban and Regional Planning (UP SURP) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). It was held at Cariño Multipurpose Hall, 3/F UP SURP, Diliman, Quezon City on December 2-7, 2019.
The 6-day training activity was conducted in the preparation of a Comprehensive Multi-Sectoral Development Plan (CDP) which Local Government Units (LGUs) are mandated to prepare, as stipulated in Republic Act 7160 (Local Government Code of the Philippines).
The SURP, under the directive of Dean Hussein S. Lidasan, Ph.D., has selected 27 SUCs/LRIs in Regions 1-13 including the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). J.H. Cerilles State College in Zamboanga del Sur and Western Mindanao State University in Zamboanga City were selected for Region 9.
The 5 faculty members were chosen with academic background in any of the fields most related to each of the 5 sectors comprising a CDP which are as follows: (a) Institutional Sector – public administration, public management, political science, rural development, or accounting; (b) Economics Sector – economics, business management, tourism, agriculture, or industrial engineering; (c) Social Sector – sociology, social works, community development, anthropology, or health and education; (d) Environmental Sector – environmental science, forestry, meteorology, DRR/CCA, fisheries, or marine science; and finally (e) Physical Sector – civil engineering, geodetic engineering, sanitary engineering, electrical engineering, architecture, geography, GIS, or environmental planning.
The resource experts in the specialized areas who conducted the training was led by Prof. Ernesto M. Serote who was the project adviser. Prof. Serote is recognized as the “Guru of Philippine Local Planning” and the author of the book “Rationalized Planning System”.
Among the other experts with Prof. Serote are: Dr. Divina Luz Lopez, Social Sector Specialist; Prof. Priscella Mejillano, Institutional Sector Specialist; Dr. Jose Regunay, Environmental Sector Specialist; Dr. Renan Ma. Tanhueco, Physical/ Infrastructure Sector Specialist; and Ms. Catherine Vidar, Economic Sector Specialist.
The JHCSC 5 – member team were composed of the following faculty with their respective sectoral representations: Engr. Rodrigo P. Millares, Jr., EnP, (PhD. candidate) Special Assistant to the Office of the President on Internal and External Affairs Designate, Team Leader (Environmental Sector); Kim C. Borja, MSc- Special Assistant to the Office of the President on Legal Matters Designate (Institutional Sector); Cleofe A. Baterna, Jr., MSc., ( PhD. Candidate) -Assistant Planning Officer Designate (Infrastructure/Physical Sector); Aron Louie L. Paler, MSc. – BS Agriculture Program Coordinator Designate (Economics Sector); and Homer T. Lao, MSc.-Assistant Information and Public Affairs Officer Designate (Social Sector).
The training-seminar was conducted by SURP with financial assistance from the DILG Support for the Local Governance Program (SLGP). It was also endorsed and supported by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). The purpose of the training-seminar is to create “knowledge hubs” in the regions on comprehensive development planning and CDP-based local development investment programming which LGUs can readily approach to address their planning needs.