PUVeP News

SEI-EcoSanRes Program Validation Workshop

The Ecological Sanitation Research (EcosanRes) Program of the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) conducted a “Validation Workshop for the Development of a Knowledge Node for Ecological Sanitation in the Philippines” at the Pearl Garden Hotel in Manila on June 28 2008. The workshop was facilitated by Ms. Elnora de la Rosa, Research Associate, SEI- Asia and Ms. Madeleine Fogde, Capacity Building Manager of the EcoSanRes Program.

The workshop was attended by about 20 participants coming from different Philippine ecosan stakeholder organizations, among them Roselita C. Paloma, Secretary, Committee on Ecology, House of Representatives, Mr. Ed Karl Galing, Programme Manager SuSEA Philippines, Water and Sanitation Program-East Asia Pacific (WSP-EAP) , Ms. Fe Banluta, Program Manager, Water Supply and Sanitation Program Management Office (WSSPMO), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Engr. Jonas Emmanuel L. Maronilla, Coordinator Basic Needs Services Philippines, Inc. (BORDA-BNS) , Dr. Dan G. Lapid, Executive Director, Center for Advanced Philippine Studies (CAPS), Eng. Lito Riego de Dios, Chief Health Program Office/ OIC Water and Sanitation Division, Department of Health (DoH), Mr. Jay Yu Tecson, Senior Project Coordinator, USAID – Philippine Sanitation Alliance Project, Ms. Lizette Cardenas, Executive Director, Solid Waste Management Association of the Philippines (SWAPP), Engr. Vic Molina,TAMS Sanitary Engineer, Coffey International Development

(SuSEA consultant), Engr. Petronio Muring, Manager, WATSAN Section, Water Resource Centre of the University of San Carlos, and Prof. Lilia G.C Casanova, PEN adviser/Consultant, Philippine Women's University (PWU). Xavier University was represented by Dr. Gina S. Itchon, Research Coordinator, Jose P. Rizal School of Medicine and Dr. Robert J. Holmer, Director PUVeP.

The objective of the workshop was to share and discuss with the stakeholders the findings of the Southeast Asia Scoping Assessment, which was recently concluded by the EcoSanRes program and to come up with recommendations and next steps for the development of an Ecosan Knowledge Node in the Philippines.

After a presentation of the EcoSanRes program by Ms. Madeleine Fogde and the Southeast Asia Scoping Assessment by Ms. Elnora de la Rosa, a plenary discussion followed on insights, suggestions and corrections as regards results of the scoping assessment. The plenary was then divided in different working groups to discuss possible tasks and activities of such a knowledge node and to propose potential nodes, including suggested structures and the type of support required.

The outcomes of the different working groups were then presented to the plenary. All participants agreed on the necessity of establishing a knowledge node in the country and appreciated the efforts of SEI-EcoSanRes to support such an initiative. It was suggested that there should be a main node located in Luzon to be hosted by CAPS, which will be supported by two sub-nodes, one in the Visayas (proposed location at Silliman University in Dumaguete City or San Carlos University in Cebu City) as well as one in Mindanao (proposed location at Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City).

The results of the validation workshop will be presented by SEI to the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) for evaluation and eventual approval within this year.

(Pictures courtesy of Ms. Elnora de la Rosa)

Back 15.07.2008.