The Migration and Development Initiative for Western Visayas  (MDI-WV) project conducted its Capability Training (Module 2) on  Building and Strengthening Local M & D Institutions last February 17-20 at the Pinnacle Hotel in San Jose, Antique. The training aims to optimize the contribution of migration in regional and local development in Western Visayas.

Planning officers of national agencies and local government units (LGUs), Public Employment Service Office (PESO) managers, academicians and private sector leaders participated in the said training.

The resource persons were Director Chona M. Mantilla, Director IV of the National Reintegration Center for OFWs (NRCO) who discussed the  ways of building, strengthening, and servicing local M&D structures; Mr. Ricardo R. Casco, national program officer  of International Organization  for Migration (IOM) Philippines, lectured on the planning options for local M &D  structure; and Ms. Leila Rispens-Noel, Director and Co-Founder of WIMLER Foundation Hong Kong Ltd., talked about   mobilizing resources and preparing a sustainability plan for local M&D units. On  the set-up of sustainability of the Migration Center, Ms. Divina P. Lagumbay and Ms. Juliana O. Cepe shared their experiences on the Datu Lipus Youth Employment and Migration Center of Agusan del Sur and Antique Youth Employment and Migration (YEM) Center, respectively.

Before the closing ceremony, the representatives from the 6 provinces, 5 cities and 6 municipalities  signed the MDI-WV Resolution No. 1, Series of 2015 entitled: “Resolution Adopting the Workshop Outputs of the Training on Building and Strengthening local M & D Institutions of MDI-WV Project”.

The project was officially launched in September 2014 and have initiated the capacity building phase with Module 1 – Mainstreaming M & D in Planning and Investment Programming held last November 26-28, 2014 in Iloilo City. Funded by the Swiss Development Cooperation, the project is implemented by the UNDP Philippines with the Commission on Filipino Overseas as the anchor national government agency and the Regional Development Council VI  through  NEDA Regional Office (NRO)  VI, as the regional implementing partner. Other project partners are the WV League of Local Planning and Development Coordinators and Signpost Philippines.