26 April 2024 — UPLB BIDANI hosted a five-day training of trainers on the Barangay Integrated Development Approach (BIDANI) for the new members of its network of state universities and colleges (SUCs).
The training was conducted last 22–26 April 2024 at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. It was participated by ten state universities and one college from across the Philippines; specifically: Apayao State College, Batangas State University, Bicol University, Catanduanes State University, Central Luzon State University, Central Mindanao University, Isabela State University, Laguna State Polytechnic University – Los Baños, Partido State University, University of the Philippines Visayas, and Visayas State University.
The aim of the training was to capacitate new BIDANI personnel of existing partner SUCs and new BIDANI partner SUCs on BIDANI — how the Program is implemented, sustained, and strengthened in their respective locales. Specifically the capacity-building activity had the following objectives: 1) to train the partner SUCs on the BIDANI program and strategy; 2) to contextualize the participants’ roles and responsibilities as members of the SUC BIDANI Team; 3) to explain the link of good governance to health and nutrition improvement and community development; and 4) to enhance the participants’ knowledge and skills to effectively and efficiently implement nutrition-in- development action research programs in their university/college and partner city/municipality and barangay.
During the training, the participating BIDANI personnel from the participating SUCs also had the chance to visit the Municipality of Nagcarlan to benchmark and witness how the BIDANI strategy is operationalized at the municipal and barangay level. Hon. Mayor Elmor Vita of Nagcarlan, Laguna together with Ms. Lourdes Comendador, Municipal Planning & Development Office staff; the Municipal Nutrition Action Officer — Ms. Jenny Bituin; and the Chairman of Brgy. Alibungbungan, Nagcarlan — Hon. Jessica Belen shared their experiences and best practices in implementing the BIDANI strategy.
The five-day event closed with the presentation of the delegates’ action plan. Dr. Josefa Eusebio, BIDANI founder and chairman of the BIDANI Development Foundation and SIKAP BIDANI Development Foundation, Inc. — both a non-stock and non-profit organization — together with Dr. Emelita Balatibat, Executive Director SIKAP BIDANI shared how their organizations has been supporting UPLB BIDANI in its activities.
King Niño Manzano