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Lessons and Challenges

In the performance of its roles, the Philippine Urban Forum has learned the following lessons:

• Human investments above all. PUF has seen that most projects fail because they are merely covered by contractual arrangements. But, if we invest in "human beings" and we nurture and strengthen these human and institutional relationships, we see most of the time, that they go beyond the lifetime of the project.
• It is critical that we agree on common objectives.
• It is important to articulate on the goals, the roles, the rights and responsibilities of different stakeholders.
• Empowerment is not just demand-making but finding innovative solutions. The Forum established a process that somehow simplified the work that had to be done and allowed for lateral thinking, or thinking out of the 'box,' containing the problem, and finding solutions.
• Unity is not uniformity. PUF is not looking for a "one size, fits all" project. There are different ways of doing and accomplishing tasks and PUF recognizes innovations. The Forum recognizes the diversity of stakeholders' processes.

Challenges being faced by the Forum include:

• Competence and performance of the different institutions that are involved in the PUF;
• Sustaining, deepening, and broadening partnerships;
• Bridging the knowledge gap;
• Mainstreaming urbanization in national priorities and resources; and
• Generating interest and support for investments and projects.

For its future directions, the PUF intends to build on the work it has started and to continuously support the commitments of partner stakeholders in realizing the action agenda spelled out in Bahanggunihanan. The PUF plans to steer its energy and resources towards these main directions.

• Sustaining human and institutional relationships
• Clarifying roles and objectives
• Upscaling the PUF’s capacity for knowledge management