PROCESS FLOW: Challenges Opportunities Review of the RDP Vision Strategic Goals Examine the Direction of the Region Projects/Programs Next Plan of Action CSOs Participation in Development

OBJECTIVES:  Understand the regional situation by examining the challenges and opportunities, strategies, goals and vision (COSGV) indicated in the Regional Development Plan’s (RDP)  Examine whether the RDP’s COSGV is true and actually happening  Appreciate if the efforts of partners contribute to the development of the region.  Explore more effective ways to be able to significantly contribute to the development of the region.

CENTRAL VISAYAS Regional Development Plan ( )

Challenges/Opportunities: Low productivity due to weak science and technology and research and development base, huge pool of unskilled and low-skilled workers, low capital intensity (e.g. micro-financing), inadequate interventions to improve productivity (e.g. Law on Wage Rationalization) Lack of opportunities for full, decent and decent and productive employment Inadequate human capabilities due to poverty, income inequality and unemployment Low access to productive assets Inadequate social protection and safety nets due to insufficient funding, poor targeting of beneficiaries, lack of coordination on program implementation and weak government bodies Deficient infrastructure support system Weak governance and institutions (Source: Central Visayas Regional Development Plan, , page 36)

Challenges/Opportunities 1.What information presented by the government in the assessment of challenges and opportunities are true based from your experiences? 2.Given the reports released by the media, what do you think are the changes happening in terms of development issues? What do you think are the emerging trends in the kinds of decisions being made by the local government?

Vision The region is a leading growth center responsible for steering Philippine economy to greater heights: a premier tourist destination; center of trade and industry, science and technology, and information and communications technology innovation (Source: Central Visayas Regional Development Plan, , page 23)

Key Development Strategies To accelerate the growth of the region’s labor productivity Upgrade he skills of the region’s manpower supply to enable them to compete in the global market and to facilitate absorption of workers in dynamic industries Improve credit access and utilization by farmers/fisher folks and SMEs Harness remittance for micro-financing Intensify productivity improvement programs Institute reforms to reduce cost of doing business Promote industrial peace Ensure continuous supply of qualified manpower Strengthen job matching to ensure that businesses locate the right skills at the right time Address deficiencies in infrastructure and logistic services to make Central Visayas competitive with other investment destination in Asia Intensify TFAs Diversify products and services to develop new growth drivers Strengthen industry linkages and networks Promote and support entrepreneulism (Source: Central Visayas Regional Development Plan, , page 44)

Key Development Strategies (Source: Central Visayas Regional Development Plan, , page 44)

Strategies/Goals/Vision 1.Do the strategies address the challenges identified in the assessment? Will the strategies be able to maximize the opportunities presented? 2.Will these strategies lead to the attainment of the goals, thus the vision? 3.What do you think should be the focus or the main strategies to employ to be able to achieve the vision or attain real development?

The Partners’ Contribution to Development 1. Are the programs/projects/activities that your organization is implementing will help in addressing the challenges you and the government have identified in your region? 2. Are the four thematic concerns that the GA approved for implementation until 2015 timely and will be effective in addressing the development challenges in your region?