The Ministry of Human Settlements and Development presented updates on the Construction Management Manual (CMM) and Social Mobilization (SocMob) Guidebook during the Social Cohesion (SC): Learning Reflection with Partners hosted by the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) at Sequoia Hotel – Manila Bay, Aseana City, Business Parak Paranaque on September 19-20, 2022.

The activity comprised of six learning conversations between participants, beginning with Accomplishments and Results, followed by SC Processes, Approaches and Tools, then Personal Reflection, Distilling Lessons, and the last was Recommendations to Enhance and Sustain SC Integration, all facilitated by the CRS.

Myla J. Leguro, CRS Regional Technical Advisor on SC and Church Engagement, shared in her overview of the session that the activity aimed to build evidence on the next steps for the CRS’ social integration based on the participants’ inputs throughout the activity.

During the Marketplace Presentations on Homes and Communities, the MHSD’s prpgress on its SocMob Manual was shared, including its conseptualization spearheaded by the partnership with CRS and enthusiastic support from Minister Atty. Hamid Aminoddin D. Barra.

Led by Engr. Yasser M. Rapun, Chief of Housing and Human Settlements Division, the MHSD shared plans on the SocMob Manual’s future presentation to other BARMM line agencies for further enhancement and contextualization, rooted on the tagline from Director General Esmael W. Ebrahim to not only Build Communities, but also Building Ummah.

Jehanna Abdulkarim, Housing and Homesite Regulation Officer for the Regional Office, presented MHSD’s accomplishments on SC integration to its projects, such as the progress in crafting its CMM and SocMob Guidebook.

She later presented lessons learned from the SC integration process, which included experiences from MHSD and Local Government Units (LGUs) of Maypajo, Kaloocan and San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, as well as the Department of Social Welfare and Development of Pasig City.

Juwairiyah bint Emran Mohamad, Information Officer I, presented how the Social Cohesion Barometer and 3Bs were used by the MHSD during project programming and the concrete ways they were integrated into the work. She compared the MHSD’s previous technical works on housing construction to the current SocMob which featured capacity development for future beneficiaries, the shift of which coincide with the separation of the SocMob Manual from the original CMM.

Engr. Normelyn Ibad, presented identified factors that either supported or hindered Social Cohesion Integration, expounding upon how the MHSD aims to overcome hindering factors in the future.

During the activity, CRS highlighted partnership woth the MHSD outside of the SocMob Manual, which included learnings from the Land Dispute Resolution Committee Chaired by Minister Barra, for the implementation of the Enduring Peace in the Bangsamoro Project.

Sanda Rihtman, CRS Country Representative witnessed the presented recommendations of the participants at the end of the program, lauding the diversity of the perspectives the recommendations came from to identify the best ways forward and needed resources to continue.

“Social cohesion broaches how we do things and ensures we include everyone, especially the vulnerable sectors, and ensures we leave no one behind,” Rep. Rihtman said.

The program formally began with opening message from Chin Nobleza, CRS Head of Programming, and ended with closing message from Technical Advisor Leguro.

Participants along with the MHSD comprised of teams from the CRS, representatives from the Commission on Social Action-Malolos and Caritas Pasig.