The University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) successfully held the Strategic Foresight Center Stakeholders’ Consultation cum Region XI – SDG Caravan on Building Resilient Futures on July 16, 2024 at the University Social Hall, USeP Obrero Campus. It was attended by USeP’s internal stakeholders including faculty, staff, and students and external stakeholders composed of representatives from government agencies, offices under the City Government of Davao, concerned barangays, officials from Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges XI, and non-governmental organizations.
University President Dr. Bonifacio G. Gabales, Jr. welcomed the participants of the two-part event aimed to institutionalize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). President Gabales expressed USeP’s steadfast commitment to integrating global sustainability objectives into local contexts and promote inclusive growth and build resilient communities and industries that can thrive in the face of adversity.
Strategic Foresight Center Stakeholders’ Consultation
Dr. Daisy T. Besing, Foresight Manager of the USeP Transformative Foresight Group, presented the proposed Mindanao Disaster and Resilience Center to be established by the University as part of the Futures Thinking and Strategic Foresight Project.
The proposed center envisions to become a recognized center on Disaster Resilience and Strategic Futures for a future-ready Mindanao in collaboration with various stakeholders. The center commits to enhance knowledge of relevant stakeholders on disaster resilience through futures thinking capacity development and production of future-ready research, development, and innovation towards a future-ready Mindanao. Its scope and services include Futures Literacy such as capacity development, popularization and localization of SDGs, and future studies; Future-ready Community through extension programs and DRRM-related plans; and knowledge sharing services.
The stakeholders’ consultation forms part of the approval process of the proposed center, giving platform for stakeholders to refine and validate strategies for the proposal.
SDG Caravan on Building Resilient Futures: Securing Philippine Agriculture and Industry through Strategic Foresight and Sustainable Development
Conducted in collaboration with the University’s partner institutions, the Development Academy of the Philippines – Graduate School of Public and Development Management (DAP-GSPDM) and the City Government of Davao, the SDG and Futures Regional Caravan served as a venue to disseminate impactful research studies.
The SDG Caravan opened with a video message from Dr. Lizan E. Perante-Calina, Dean of GSPDM who shared that the primary goal is for the research studies to drive positive change beyond the confines of the academic community.
The plenary sessions featured insightful presentations by three research fellows of the DAP-GSPDM, namely: Dr. Segundo Joaquin E. Romero, Jr. (Foresighting and Localizing the SDGs: The Future Earth Philippines Experience), Dr. Ruperto S. Sangalang (Futures of Philippine Rice Security: Scenario Building), and Dr. Madlyn D. Tingco (InSALTfficiency: The Specter of Philippine Salt Production Industry Decline and Ways Forward).
Questions and insights from the participants were discussed during the open forum. The SDG Caravan wrapped up with the closing message and synthesis by Dr. Ma. Oliva Z. Domingo, Supervising Fellow of DAP-GSPDM. With the challenges confronting the world, she encouraged the participants to initiate the change and act for a better future.
Truly, the event was a meaningful endeavor that has fostered a collective commitment to undertakings and collaboration towards sustainable futures.