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UP CIDS and UPV Research Team Leads Delphi Consultation to Drive Western Visayas SDG Goals

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — The research arm of the SDG Partnerships and Action for Collective Empowerment (SPACE) Project—a joint team from the University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP CIDS) and UP Visayas (UPV)—took center stage as the lead facilitators of the Delphi Consultation workshop held on May 18, 2026 at the Grand Xing Imperial Hotel in Iloilo City.

The high-level workshop is a core component of the ongoing Capacity Development (CapDev) Series implemented for the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Regional Office VI (DEPDev VI). As The project’s specialized research arm, the UP CIDS-UPV team is tasked with translating data into actionable policy, aiming to establish a prioritized list of strategic Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) interventions and strengthen regional development through evidence-based, collaborative planning. The project will help update the SDG Catch Up Plan of Region VI, including how local economic planners align regional budgets and land-use plans with the UN’s 2030 SDGs.

Expert-Led Facilitation and Sectoral Breakouts

The Delphi methodology relies on structured, expert-driven consensus. Dr. Rosalie Arcala Hall, SPACE Project Convener and Executive Director of UP CIDS, served as the overall lead facilitator for the plenary sessions, guiding regional stakeholders through the strategic framework.

Dr. Rosalie Arcala Hall, UP CIDS Executive Director and SPACE Project Convener, leading the plenary brief and interactive framework mapping with regional participants at the Grand Xing Imperial Hotel.

To deep-dive into specific regional challenges, participants transitioned into specialized breakout sessions aligned with key sustainable development dimensions. The sessions used regional baseline data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to discuss actual local issues—like climate action targets, varied community needs, and public finance.

Plenary feedback and cross-sector discussions during the consensus-building phases of the Delphi Consultation.

These targeted workshop groups were facilitated by the project’s multi-disciplinary research team:

Economic Session: Facilitated by Dr. Mary Rose Rebueno (Project Fellow & Lead for Public Finance) and Asst. Prof. Mary Rose Bañares (Project Fellow), focusing on fiscal mechanisms, budgetary viability, and regional economic development priorities.

Environment Session: Facilitated by Ms. Rosario R. Dizon (Junior Research Associate), focusing on regional environmental sustainability, resource preservation, and climate action targets.

Governance Session: Facilitated by Asst. Prof. Brian Ventura (Project Fellow & Lead for Public Policy), focusing on policy alignment, multi-sectoral governance, and institutional frameworks.

Social Session: Facilitated by Dr. Rosalie Arcala Hall (Project Convener) and Ms. Rowelle Serilo (Project Fellow), focusing on social inclusivity, regional equity, and human development indicators.

Social + Infrastructure Session: Facilitated by Dr. Rhodella A. Ibabao (Project Leader & Lead for Spatial Analysis), focusing on bridging spatial dimensions, geographic community needs, and sustainable planning.

Grounding Policy in Regional Reality

The workshop opened with a welcome address and an overview of upcoming CapDev initiatives from Ms. Ma. Leah L. Letrero, DEPDev VI Chief Economic Development Specialist. To ground the team’s research and the participants’ technical assessments in local realities, Ms. Marlene Alviar, Chief Statistical Specialist of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), presented the Western Visayas SDG Pace of Progress, detailing the region’s current standing across key development indicators.

Using this statistical baseline, the UP CIDS-UPV research team successfully navigated diverse sectoral perspectives across the five breakout rooms to build consensus on high-impact interventions. Through this collaborative exercise, the research arm continues to fulfill its mandate: providing the rigorous, scientific scaffolding necessary to accelerate localized SDG action across Region VI.

About the UP CIDS and UPV SPACE Project Team

The UP CIDS and UP Visayas SPACE Project research arm alongside institutional partner representatives holding their certificates of appreciation at the close of the strategic Delphi Consultation workshop.

Operating as the core research arm of the SPACE Project under DEPDev VI, this collaborative inter-unit initiative provides technical expertise, data analysis, and evaluation to advance localized sustainable development goals across Western Visayas.

Written by: Rosario R. Dizon, Junior Research Associate, UP CIDS-UPV SPACE Project