TACLOBAN CITY – Four regional institutions gathered on September 16 at the Graduate Programs Function Hall for a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony establishing a one-year preparatory partnership on futures thinking and strategic foresight in Eastern Visayas.
Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU) President Dr. Dennis C. De Paz signed the agreement alongside Northwest Samar State University (NwSSU) President Atty. Lorelie Fabillar-Tangaran, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Regional Office VIII (DEPDev VIII) Regional Director Meylene C. Rosales, and Department of Budget and Management Regional Office VIII (DBM VIII) Regional Director Imelda C. Laceras represented by DBM VIII Budget and Management Specialist, Carl Patrick H. Bernardo.
This initiative is the first of its kind in the Philippines, responding directly to Republic Act No. 12145 (the Economy, Planning, and Development Act) and the Eastern Visayas Regional Development Plan 2023-2028 Midterm Update. Guided by the Concept Paper “The Paglusad, Pagsaka, and Pagsaad of Eastern Visayas: A Foresight-to-Policy Framework,” the MOU organizes groundwork coordination and capacity-building for the proposed Eastern Visayas Futures and Foresight Framework (EVFFF).
As one of the initiative’s primary academic leads, EVSU serves as the technical backbone of this regional transformation. Drawing from its multi-module Capacity Development Program on Futures Thinking and Strategic Foresight alongside NwSSU’s Center for Futures Thinking and Strategic Foresight, EVSU assumes core technical obligations to design and conduct workshops in scenario-building, trend analysis, and horizon scanning for DEPDev VIII and DBM VIII personnel.
EVSU Institutional Planning and Development Office Director Dr. Jovito B. Madeja, NwSSU CFTSF Director Dr. Jonah L. Salcedo, and DEPDev VIII Supervising Economic Development Specialist Jensen D. Rico were also present to witness said signing, while Resident Futurist Emmanuel R. De Guia acknowledged the agreement.
This article is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions; SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals; and SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, Technology, and Infrastructure
via JS Beleña
