The WILUP team, composed of Dr. Vida Carandang, Dr. Rex Victor Cruz, project research associates, and project admin, conducted a meeting with DHSUD-ELUPDB representatives, composed of Director Mylene Rivera, Assistant Director Jeanette Cruz, Ms. Julia Collado, and Mr. Ivan Sumilang.

The said meeting was conducted on January 13, 2023, at the main headquarters of DHSUD-ELUPDB to discuss how both parties will harmonize their plans to capacitate the LGUs.DHSUD provided the WILUP team with a copy of their list of training activities inside their Technical Planning Assistance Program (TPAP). The WILUP team will review this list together with the other materials provided to them by DHSUD and overlay them with their training.

DHSUD also urges the WILUP team to involve DHSUD regional offices in the pilot sites even if the MOA deployed to different LGUs is not yet being signed. This is because DHSUD regional offices are the ones who implement training and check the CLUP outputs of LGUs.The plan of the WILUP team to develop SUCs as a hub for technical assistance, which can happen through a partnership with CHED, was also supported by DHSUD since a force multiplier to streamline the capacity-building process is included in their targets. Through the SUCs, Mr. Sumilang believes that DHSUD can garner more trainers for capacity building.

Further, Dr. Cruz mentioned that SUCs’ locations are strategic for capacity building since extension programs are included in their mandates.The WILUP team also informed DHSUD about its ongoing efforts to determine where in the HLURB guideline will the WILUP guidelines should be incorporated. Additionally, they mentioned that they will have a meeting with the Provincial Government of La Union in February to discuss their capacity-building initiatives.