A consortium of local academicians and scholars is urged to take on the role of a think tank that will help steer Mindanao’s journey to holistic development.
Sixteen members of the Mindanao Studies Consortium Foundation Inc. (MSCFI) were exhorted by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) to venture out of their institutions and build their mark in research and policy studies in the region.
“Issues in Mindanao are integrated and call for integrated solutions that require lenses from different skills and expertise. Being an institution of thinkers, planners, experts, and social architects, MSCFI can take the lead,” MinDA Executive Director Janet Lopoz said in a message delivered for MinDA chair Sec. Luwalhati Antonino.
MSCFI is a clearinghouse of ideas, resources, programs and projects that help mitigate peace and development issues in Mindanao through scientific and empirical researches that help define and support the region’s development needs.
Lopoz said development, industries, and social structures are evolving fast, and MSCFI members must determine if they will remain within the walls of their individual institutions and research centers, or “come out and leave a legacy in Mindanao’s history”.
“We need to strengthen alliances, expand membership, and create networks and communities, so opportunities for engagement can be expanded, and knowledge is brought to critical industry players, decision-makers, and policy-makers,” she added.
Lopoz made the call during a strategic planning session facilitated by MinDA to help the consortium strengthen its capacities as it gears up to expand its membership and evolve into the Mindanao Knowledge, Research and Policy Center (MKRPC).
MKRPC will become the repository of knowledge on Mindanao and shall take the lead in coordinating, facilitating, and disseminating researches, bridging theory to practice in the pursuit of peace and development initiatives.
It is also envisioned to help higher education institutions produce more scientists and give attention to social and political sciences that can help address complex social and political issues in Mindanao.
The planning activity was intended to come up with an enhanced research framework and harmonized Mindanao Research Agenda in relation to the region’s blueprint for development called Mindanao 2020, A Peace and Development Framework Plan for Mindanao.
Dr. Ciel Habito of Brain Trust Inc., in his message to the consortium, revealed that in the crafting of the Mindanao 2020, his team saw gaps in defining the knowledge base to support its thematic areas. He said this boils down to the need for a research agenda that will later on cluster into research studies.
“What we need is practical research that can be useful and contribute to actual reforms, such as identifying lack of infrastructure to unleash a lot of economic activities,” Habito said.
He expressed hope for BTI and MSCFI to work together for possible expansion, networking, and strengthening of both institutions in order to respond better to the needs of Mindanao.
Prof. Ricardo de Ungria, MSCFI Chairperson, closed the activity with a rallying call to its members to renew their commitment to the consortium and tackle the challenges ahead. MinDA
No comments:
Post a Comment