Urban Dev’t Learning 

Center to rise in HNU 

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, December 16, (PIA)—Holy Name University (HNU) will soon have another facility that will guide local governments in their environmental and development planning. 

This as the United States Government through its Strengthening Urban Resiliency for Growth with Equity (SURGE) puts up its Urban Development Learning Center right here at the school compound. 

The new facility is the US Government’s second innovation set in place at the HNU and is expected to operate on its own, like the Bohol Poll which was an earlier grant to the school. 

SURGE came as the move to create growth centers to spread economic development in far flung cities outside Metro Manila gets traction. 

SURGE project fosters development of conditions for wider, inclusive and resilient economic growth for areas outside Metro Manila. 

The project assists cities and to plan effectively, guarantee basic public services, reduce business transaction costs, promote competitiveness, support sustainable development, and reduce disaster and climate change risks while ensuring inclusive and sustainable growth. 

The end goal is to improve urban development and planning, promote low-emission local economic development, facilitate greater connectivity and access between urban and rural areas and promote social inclusion. 

Earlier, through United States Agency for International Development’s Governance on Local Democracies (GOLD) Project, HNU also then envisioned to lead in research to puts substance to the development of the local academe and to the Boholano community in general. 

Housed at the HNU Research Center, the Bohol Poll, an extension of the in-house research arm of the school soon got technical, material and financial support, lending its services to the academic departments, training and documentation services and the first localized public opinion polling. 

Initially funded in 1997 by the USAID through the GOLD project of the Associates in Rural Development (ARD), Bohol Poll had intensive technical assistance provided for by the Social Weather Stations (SWS). 

Now on its own, BOHOL POLL is an annual monitoring activity on the sentiments of the Boholanos on social, economic, political issues of local and national concern. 

For these innovative initiatives, HNU conferred to outgoing US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Yung Kim an Honoris Causa degree in Doctor of Management in Human Resource Management, in recent ceremonies at the HNU Barder Gymnasium, December 16, 2019. 

With the support of the United States Government, Ambassador Kim, has been a crucial person in advancing the country’s promotion for basic education, as he is also instrumental in sending about 35 Filipino scholars to the US and in personally helping them adapt to the culture and iron out their kinks in their academic pursuits. 

The Korean born KIM used to be the US Ambassador to South Korea before getting appointed as the US Ambassador to the Philippines, also organized the training of local firefighters in stopping chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats as an emergency response. 

In the field of Arts, the ambassador supported the young artists collaborative project, in scientific and technological innovation agreements for collaborative exchange of ideas and practices. 

Ambassador Kim also figured out ways to lead the US humanitarian assistance mission for relief and recovery in Marawi, during the Maute take-over, read Dr Christopher Bernido, of the HNU Board of Trustees. 

In gratefulness to the US Government, and to the ambassador, HNU conferred the honoris causa, in rites presided by HNU President Rev Fr. Francisco Estepa who donned on him the honors and the diploma. 

Earlier, the Commission on Higher Education through Regional Director Maximo Aljibe has assented to the conferment. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)