Project 9. Improving Urban Development Management Human Resource Capacities

Intended Outcomes

Outcome No. 1: Efficient and Effective Urban Development Management Outcome No. 2: Strengthened and Institutionalized Participation

Key Result Areas

KRA NO. 2: Institutions Development
KRA NO. 3: Capacity Building

Rationale

The restoration of the democratic form of government through the EDSA Revolution also restored democratic systems in the Philippine society. Participation of society in general and specific groups in particular has intensified during the last 15 years, characterized by a more vibrant media and civil society groups as well as the re-emergence of people’s organizations. The increasing vigilance of the media and organized groups have been responsible for the radical changes in the government and in the improvements in the government’s system of accountability, among others.

Participatory governance became one of the principles that have emerged out of the democratic process. Over time, the mechanisms for participation have been installed and reflected in both laws and operational systems in the government at national and local levels. However, much remains to be done to empower stakeholders, particularly those that have not received equitable benefits from development. Such empowerment involves various interventions: providing information that guide societal decisions, establishing mechanisms for open debate on policy issues and for participating and influencing policies and interventions of government, creating collaborative mechanisms for mutual cooperation and partnerships in specific development programs, and in providing training in specific areas that require effective exercise of participation.

On the other hand, national and local governments need to have the appropriate human expertise in the various aspects of urban development management. Quality human resources is the core of their institutional capacities. At present the quality and quantity of urban development professionals do not match with requirements, particularly in the government. Currently, local universities produce an average of 500 graduates annually. Not all of these are able to acquire licenses in order to practice their profession. Also urban planners, urban architects and related professions prefer to go into private sector practice due to the unattractive salaries and career the in public service. There are more than 1,400 provinces, cities and municipalities that require at least one planner to man their planning offices. But generally LGUs lack the manpower and general institutional capacities to formulate and implement effective urban development plans. This is indicated by the few number of LGUs, about 500 as of year 2000, which were able to prepare updated development plans. This situation is worsened by the quality of the plans and the lack of adequate public consultative processes.

Another issue is the general lack of urban development perspective in government policy decision making. In national government agencies which do not perform urban development functions but whose functions significantly impact on urban development and the country’s spatial development lack the institutional capacity to consider the spatial development impacts of their policies, rules and operational decisions. Examples of these abound: the national budget, social sector services that are not linked with city development planning, etc. There is need to build relevant capacities in order to achieve better cohesion of government policies and programs with urban development concerns.

Objectives

1. To develop the capacities of people’s organizations for effective participation and civil engagement.
2. To improve the supply and quality of urban development professionals through reforms in the formal urban development education system.
3. To improve the urban development management capacities of officials and personnel of national government agencies and LGUs performing functions that impact on urban development.

Project Components/Scope of Work

1. Review and Reengineering of the Urban Development Education System
2. Improving Urban Governance Capacities of National Government Departments and Agencies Performing Functions that Impact on Urban Development
3. TNA and Training Program Development and Implementation for LGU Officials and Personnel Performing Urban Development Functions
4. Capacity Building of POs for Civic Engagement in Urban Governance
5. Advancing the Role of Women in Local Urban Development and Urban Governance

A. Review and Reengineering of the Urban Development Education System

This component involves a survey of the local universities and colleges offering urban planning and related academic programs. Such review will focus on the quality of the curriculum, the delivery system, the quality of the professorial staff, the school facilities and the school overall institutional capacities. The review will be anchored on a review methodology which will be developed and which will include a prior study on the competency requirements of urban development functions of professionals.

A survey of the regulatory framework will also be examined. Reforms in the education system will comprise of a set of policies, regulations, incentives, and disincentives and assistance towards improving capacities and sustainability of urban development education institutions.

Another important component is the development of career development strategies for urban development professionals in the public sector, and design of innovative schemes for public-private employment arrangements that will provide competitive remuneration benefits and career development opportunities. ↑

B. Improving Urban Governance Capacities of National Government Departments and Agencies Performing Functions that Impact on Urban Development

This will involve a rapid assessment of the urban development and functions of public sector agencies, analysis of the urban development competency requirements and assessment of training needs. Training programs and modules as well as their implementing mechanisms will be designed and piloted. ↑

C. TNA and Training Program Development and Implementation for LGU Officials and Personnel Performing Urban Development Functions

This component will prioritize personnel in CDS and other LGUs, which are proponents of the other programs in this action plan. ↑

D. Capacity Building of POs for Civic Engagement in Urban Governance

The participation of people’s organizations in local governance has been provided for in the local government code through provisions that require membership of POs in the various local boards. However, people’s organizations lack the necessary capacity for effective civic engagement. They are fragmented both in objectives and in operational mechanisms. They lack training that would enable them to participate in policy decision making particularly in areas that directly impact on their conditions.

This project component is geared towards building the capacities of PO for more meaningful participation in urban development and urban governance at national and local levels.

A rapid survey of capacities of POs will be conducted in order to understand and analyze the specific capacity issues that should be addressed. Such capacity building will cover such areas as: capability to organize and federate in order to create political power; build institutional capacities of individual POs through assistance in improving systems and procedures, in creating legal organizations that can generate and manage resources for urban poor programs and partner with government and other stakeholders, training in such areas as local governance, housing, finance, policy development, and specific program implementation skills, particularly in areas useful in promoting their cause.

Training will also be provided in such areas as developing and initiating collaborative programs, in properly enunciating critical ideas that generate results, and in building consensus, among others. ↑

E. Advancing the Role of Women in Local Urban Development and Urban Governance

Women constitute one of the most vulnerable sectors of society in the Philippines. While participation by Filipino women in politics and in professional jobs have been reported by the UNDP Report on Human Development as better than many Asian countries, much remains to be done to mainstream women in the development process.

Mainstreaming women involves both capacitating and providing opportunity, particularly in participating in the political processes at national and local levels, in acquiring training in leadership and organization, and in specific technical areas that help women particularly in poor urban communities and relocation areas to organize and mobilize resources for collective and organized entrepreneurial ventures. This component will have two major concerns:

1. Design and implementation of programs for improving women’s participation in politics and positions of leadership
2. Design and implementation of programs for improving capacities of women in urban poor areas in organizing and operating collective women’s programs on entrepreneurship and livelihood pilot implementation in six LGUs ↑

Expected Outputs

1. Survey and assessment report on the urban development education system
2. Proposed reform of the urban development education system
3. Training needs analysis of NG agencies
4. Training program for NG agencies
5. Training needs analysis for LGUs
6. Training program for LGUs
7. Designed and implemented capacity building program for POs
8. Designed and implemented programs on advancing women’s role in urban development and governance

Project Management Arrangements

The University of the Philippines, Department of Urban and Regional Planning will be the executing agency for the formal education components of the project. UP will constitute an inter-agency committee comprised of pertinent academic institutions, professionals, HUDCC, DILG, and other pertinent organization to provide project direction. It will establish a project management group to be responsible for the day-to-day supervision of project activities and for providing technical assistance to implementing/proponent agencies and organizations identified for the project.

The HUDCC and the PUF will be responsible for the management of the non-formal education aspects of the project, particularly those components involving the capacity building of POs, national government agencies and local government units, and those concerned with public information and education.

Project Duration

Component A: 18 months (design)
Component B: 12 months (design and implementation)
Component C: 24 months (design and pilot implementation)
Component D: 24 months (design and pilot implementation)
Component E: 24 months (design and pilot implementation)

Estimated Cost

US$ 590,000