Ridge to Reef Capacity Building Series Concludes, Empowers LUcal Planners in Land Use Planning
By: Office of the Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator and Marie Jae Anndre Fronda, PIO | Photos By: OPPDC | Date: July 19, 2024
The Provincial Government of La Union’s (PGLU) and the University of the Philippines Los Baños’ (UPLB) Capacity Development Training Series on the Ridge to Reef or Watershed Ecosystem (R2R/WEM) Approach in Land Use Planning completed its implementation through its commencement exercise on July 19, 2024, at the Nicolas P. Lansigan Auditorium, UP Los Baños, Laguna.
“Dahil po dito, mas appreciate ko po ang ang aking role bilang Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator sa bayan namin ng Naguilian,” Ms. Joy P. Flores EnP, one of the learners of the series, shared as she completed the training program. With enhanced knowledge of sustainable urban development, she and other participants felt more motivated to facilitate the creation of climate-responsive, progress-driven sectoral plans for their respective municipalities.
The R2R/WEM framework integrates climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction with ecosystem protection and socio-economic development in land use planning to build climate-resilient communities. The training series enhanced the technical expertise of not only PGLU employees but also the personnel of La Union component LGUs, provincial governments of Benguet, Pangasinan, and locos Sur, and academic institutions in Region I regarding the framework.
During the commencement exercise, Board Member Aaron Kyle M. Pinzon, Chair of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Housing, Land Use, and Relocation, urged the learners to not let land use and development plans remain as mere plans but are effectively implemented.
Further, Gov. Raphaelle Veronica “Rafy” Ortega-David pledged her full support in upholding the R2R/WEM Framework, “I personally commit that the PGLU will uphold its roles to ensure that these efforts will directly benefit our constituents and serve as a stepping stone for progress and continued development.”
Among those who also delivered their messages for the participants include the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources Research and Development Executive Director, Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora; the UPLB Chancellor Dr. Jose V. Camacho, Jr.; the UPLB CFNR Associate Dean, Dr. Analyn L. Codilan; the UPLB Institute of Renewable Natural Resources Director, Dr. Marco A. Galang; and WILUP Project Leader, Asst. Prof. Jan Joseph Dida.
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