CATBALOGAN CITY – Samar State University (SSU) held four consecutive Consultative Workshops with local stakeholders on March 4-5 and continued on March 9-10 (21) at the 3rd Floor SSU Convention Center.
The workshop is annually held and for this year, five sectors of Catbalogan City joined the meeting: 1) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), 2) Banks and Financial Institutions, 3) Farmers and Fisherfolks, 4) Service Sector Association, and 5) Barangay Local Government Unit (BLGU).
Primarily, the event aims to revisit and evaluate Catbalogan City’s status through the different sectors’ perspective to see where SSU can contribute in the pursuit of holistic development for the whole community.
Specifically, the event was organized to identify arising cultural and social issues of the local residents and align them to the research programs of the University. And as such, the SSU-Research Center for Cultural Sciences and Issues (RCCSI) tapped the other research centers to present their program priorities and activities relative to the identified concerns of the various sectors.
Dr. Sherrie Ann C. Labid (OIC-Vice President for Research and Extension Services), Dir. Jesus T. Racuyal (Executive Director for Extension), Dr. Vivian L. Moya (Director, Innovation & Technology Support Office), Engr. Mirador Labrador (Director, Center for Engineering, Science & Technology Innovation), Diana Shane A. Balindo (Director, Center for Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Research and Development), Dr. Marlyn G. Lanzarrote (Director, Gender and Development), and Maria Rubi M. Parrocho (Director, Research Center for Culture and Social Issues) were among those who presented.
The Planning and Management Officer, Engr. Rodrigo G. Estrada, also presented the plans and programs of the University for 2022-2024, particularly on Capital Outlay for the purpose of generating approval as inputs from the sectors aforementioned.
Dr. Marilyn D. Cardoso, the University President, was also present in every session to welcome the participants and show support to research, one of the mandates of the University.
The last session on March 10 ended with creating the Catch-up Development Plan by barangay.
Evidently, the series of sessions proved helpful in SSU’s formulation of relevant research programs and priorities.
