NEDA VI conducts research agenda workshop
Last July 1st, the NEDA Regional Office VI initiated the conduct of the Regional Research Agenda Workshop at the RDC Conference Hall, NEDA VI Building, Iloilo City. Attended by 72 participants coming from state universities and colleges, regional line agencies, non-government organizations and local government units, the inputs and workshops were facilitated by the NRO VI technical staff.
The main objective of the workshop was to formulate a Regional Research Agenda for 2010-2015 that will guide private and government academic and research institutions, as well as, regional line agencies in the conduct of quantitative and qualitative researches, policy studies and industry studies supportive of and consistent with the region’s strategic thrusts.
Next year, the Updated Western Visayas Regional Development Plan, 2008-2010 will end. As such, there is a need to assess the effect or impact of programs/projects, policies, and legislative measures on regional development. Hence, the need to identify researchable areas and topics that will provide information and database in the formulation of more responsive and relevant interventions and strategies to address development issues/concerns and strategic thrusts of the region. The workshop also aimed at encouraging the conduct of impact/industry studies and policy papers needed for the formulation of the successor plan.
The challenges and thrusts of the Updated Western Visayas Region Development Plan, 2008-2010 were presented to guide the participants in identifying researchable areas or topics. The participants were divided into four sectors, namely: Development Administration, Economic, Infrastructure and Social. Priority areas/topics were categorized according to the following:
Industry/policy studies relevant to the strategic thrusts/policies of the Updated WV Development Plan, 2008-2010 and in the implementation of major programs and projects in the Regional Development Investment Program, 2004-2010;
Intervention schemes that will address the prevailing sector concerns/issues (e.g. global warming); and
Effective and efficient implementation measures that will enhance current policy initiatives (food security, poverty alleviation, employment generation, peace and security, etc).
The outputs of the workshop are currently being processed by the NEDA VI technical staff and will be endorsed to the Regional Development Council, Region VI for adoption. These will then be disseminated to private and academic research institutions operating in the region for their guide and main reference for future studies and investigations along regional and local development.
Among the critical partners identified by the participants, in terms of the utilizing the Research Agenda are the following: private and state universities and colleges; research consortia; special foreign-assisted projects; international and national research institutions. (Ma. Leah Letrero, PPFD)