A three-day workshop on Planning Preparation and Essential Participatory Tools for Land-use Planning (LUP) was conducted at the DMMMSU-NLUC International Convention Center in Bacnotan, La Union, on June 19-21, 2024. 

The workshop aimed to equip provincial and local government planners of La Union, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, Benguet, and State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in Region 1 with the knowledge and tools for effective land-use planning. They explored various topics, including the Hierarchy of Plans in the Philippines, Land Use Policy Analysis, Infrastructure and Transport Connectivity, Investment Programming, and important tools like Problem Tree Analysis, Stakeholder Engagement, Vision and Mission Setting, and developing Preferred Land Use and Land Cover.

Moreover, the three-day workshop also facilitated discussions on current watershed challenges, envisioned goals for 2050, and identified necessary actions to achieve them. 

During the workshop, the Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) and the University of the Philippines- Los Baños (UPLB) partnered on a project aimed at integrating Ridge to Reef/Watershed Ecosystem Management (R2R/WEM) approach into the Provincial Development and Physical Framework Plans (PDPFP).

The project on integrating R2R/WEM into the PDPFP was implemented by UPLB’s Institute of Renewable Natural Resources, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, in collaboration with DMMMSU’s College of Agroforestry and Forestry. (By Rochelle M. Verganio)