The Wholistic Transformation Resource Center Foundation, Inc. (WTRC) has taken a significant step forward in strengthening its community development work by participating in a customized Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) capacity development and training workshop.
Facilitated by Step Up Consulting Services, the workshop was specifically designed to align with WTRC’s unique programs and long-term goals, focusing on enhancing internal systems for transparency, accountability, and stakeholder engagement. This initiative reflects WTRC’s commitment to using data-driven approaches to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of its interventions.
The training aimed to enhance participants’ understanding of core M&E concepts and frameworks, build their capacity to design and implement effective data collection strategies, and improve their ability to analyze and interpret results accurately. WTRC staff also learned to use various M&E tools—such as logic models, performance indicators, and dashboards—to monitor program success and make informed decisions. A key outcome of the workshop was the development of tailored M&E systems that align with the foundation’s mission and can support long-term monitoring and evaluation practices.
Throughout the training, WTRC staff engaged in intensive sessions covering a broad range of M&E topics, including the Logical Framework, Results-Based M&E, and Theory of Change. Participants were also equipped with practical skills in data collection and analysis using tools such as Key Informant Interviews, Focus Group Discussions, and structured surveys. To ensure high data quality and credibility, the Triangulation Method was introduced alongside modern digital tools like Google Forms, Tableau, and AI-powered platforms for data visualization and analysis.
By embedding strong M&E systems across its operations, WTRC aims to align its efforts more closely with the expectations of donors, beneficiaries, and other stakeholders. This capacity-building initiative not only strengthens internal processes but also reinforces WTRC’s dedication to continuous improvement and evidence-based development work. Ultimately, the foundation believes that more effective monitoring and evaluation will lead to deeper, more meaningful, and lasting impacts in the communities it serves.
Step Up conducts a series of data-gathering activities for Tagbilaran City Tagbilaran city-level scoping study on enabling conditions for urban climate finance and provides technical support and recommendations to mainstream climate change considerations and Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) perspectives into the cities’ investment plans. This is part of a research study commissioned by the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities.
The study aims to assess the enabling conditions for climate financing at the city level, leveraging the methodology developed by the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (CCFLA). This methodology focuses on the “National Assessment of Enabling Framework Conditions for Subnational Climate Finance”. It will be utilized to gauge how well Tagbilaran is positioned to access climate finance for its urban development projects.
Key objectives include:
Developing a scoping study on the conditions that facilitate climate finance in Tagbilaran.
Assessing the city’s development investment programs with a focus on climate and Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) considerations.
As part of the study, a range of data collection activities have been scheduled, including focus group discussions, interviews with key stakeholders, and a review of existing documents related to investment planning to provide recommendations for integrating climate change mitigation and adaptation measures, along with GEDSI perspectives, into the city’s investment plans.
The fieldwork for this project officially began with a courtesy call to the Office of the City Mayor, where City Administrator Mr. Alvin Acuzar welcomed the team on 30 September 2024. Several focus group discussions followed, bringing together department heads, members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, civil society organizations, and the Barangay Local Government Unit (BLGU) of Manga to gather insights on the city’s current plans and opportunities for advancement.
The Urban Act Project is a collaboration between ICSC, the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), Clean Air Asia (CAA), and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). It is set to implement its activities in Tagbilaran, Antipolo, and Bacolod, with the aim of promoting low-carbon and climate-resilient cities across the country.
The research and scoping study are expected to conclude by December 2024, providing critical insights that will help shape the city’s climate adaptation strategies and financial frameworks for sustainable urban growth.
Step Up was commissioned by the Wholistic Transformation Resource Center (WTRC) to facilitate Youth Development and Empowerment Training and Capacity Development on Project Management for the leaders of the Church of Nazarene—GMA as part of its ongoing partnership with the church.
Capacity Development on Project Management
The training, which took place from July 13 to September 14, 2024, was a key initiative to strengthen the project management skills of Church of Nazarene – GMA leaders. The blended sessions—face-to-face and online activities—focused on various stages of project management, including project conception, planning, execution, and monitoring.
The program followed a three-step approach to build the skills of project staff and volunteers:
Capacity Assessment: The first step involved evaluating the current competencies of project staff and volunteers to determine the skills needed for effective project management.
Project Management Strategy Development: In the second step, leaders and volunteers collaborated to create a comprehensive project management strategy detailing the tools and methods for successful project execution and monitoring.
Monitoring and Documentation: The final phase of the training focused on equipping participants with the skills needed to document project progress and assess the impacts of their initiatives to continuously improve the quality and effectiveness of their projects.
The training covered key topics like project initiation, planning, launching, and control, enabling participants to develop a structured approach to managing community-based projects. This initiative improved the leaders’ project management skills and reinforced WTRC’s mission of fostering holistic transformation through partnerships with churches, social enterprises, and other community-based organizations.
The completion of this training marks a significant milestone in the ongoing collaboration between Step Up, WTRC, and the Church of Nazarene—GMA. It reinforces the foundation’s commitment to developing leaders who can drive meaningful change in marginalized communities and support its mission of building stronger, more sustainable communities across the nation.
Youth Development and Empowerment
The training conducted from 20 July to 21 September 2024 focused on building leadership skills, fostering self-care, and enhancing confidence in public speaking. It equipped youth leaders to manage their activities effectively and lead with purpose. The workshop was designed around key actions to empower participants and create inclusive, supportive spaces for personal and collective growth. Among these strategies were discussions on the importance of self-care and empathy toward others, ensuring that participants felt encouraged to create welcoming environments within their ministries. A needs assessment conducted through focus group discussions revealed that participants were particularly keen on improving their public speaking abilities, especially when engaging with children and other youth in the ministry. They expressed a desire for leadership training that moved beyond traditional formats, advocating for more interactive, engaging, and meaningful activities. Participants were also eager to explore topics like mental health, online communities, and how to encourage youth participation in ministry. The training was structured around four main sessions, each designed to be participatory and centred on peer learning. These sessions included:
Session 1: Participation in an Inclusive and Safe Spaces (Care for Self and Others) – Emphasizing the importance of creating inclusive, caring environments where everyone’s voice can be heard.
Session 2: Safety in the Online World – Offering tools and strategies to navigate the complexities of online engagement while ensuring safety for both leaders and youth members.
Session 3: Building Interpersonal Relationships, Self-Confidence, and Communication Skills – Fostering stronger communication, interpersonal skills, and confidence to engage with others effectively.
Session 4: The Leaders We Hope to Become – Encouraging youth to reflect on the qualities they wish to embody as future leaders, helping them align their values with their leadership style.
The dynamic and hands-on nature of the sessions allowed participants to interact directly with their peers, share ideas, and engage in plenary discussions. With an emphasis on creativity, group work, and idea-sharing, the training ensured that each participant had the chance to discover their personal strengths and overcome challenges, especially those related to public speaking. “Interactive activities, group discussions, and peer-led sharing were key aspects of the training,” explained one participant. “It helped us learn from the facilitator and each other, making the experience much more meaningful.” The training initiative aligns with Step Up’s broader mission to develop young leaders who are capable, confident, and ready to make a lasting impact in their communities. As the Church of Nazarene – GMA youth leaders implement the skills they’ve learned, Step Up hopes to continue supporting their growth and empowerment through future.
The Step-Up team has successfully concluded the end-of-project evaluation of the Strengthening Local Stakeholders and Community’s Capacity to Improve Environment Management in Bilar, Bohol Philippines Project. Spanning over three years, this initiative aimed to transform Bilar into a model municipality for sustainable environmental management and conservation.
The project focused on enhancing local stakeholders’ involvement in karst education, landscape management, biodiversity conservation, and climate change adaptation. It sought to bolster environmental ethics while ensuring the sustainable use of resources within the community.
Key objectives of the evaluation included assessing the effectiveness of local stakeholders’ management plans for the karst landscape, improvements in local biodiversity, enhanced management of freshwater resources, advancements in solid waste management, reduced agricultural chemical use, and the promotion of eco-tourism.
Moreover, the evaluation examined the progress of partner barangays and communities in making informed environmental management decisions. It also evaluated the implementation and utilization of disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) plans, ensuring their functionality and effectiveness.
Particular attention was given to assessing the capacity-building efforts aimed at youths and local stakeholders who are advocating for environmental sustainability. The project aimed to empower the next generation with the knowledge and skills needed to champion environmental conservation in their community.
“Kasing Sining is an impassioned and organically cultivated community theater collective, deeply rooted in a shared love for Bohol and the arts. Founded in 2013 under the visionary leadership of Lutgardo Luza Labad, this diverse ensemble is a tapestry of talents including actors, dancers, singers, educators, and other creative professionals, all united by a profound commitment to showcase and celebrate the rich tapestry of Boholano creativity. Drawing its name from the fusion of “kasingkasing,” the Visayan word for heart, and “sining,” the Tagalog term for art, Kasing Sining embodies “Art with a Heart,” a profound belief in artistic expression that serves a purpose beyond itself.”
For the first time since its founding, Kasing Sining held its first Strategic Planning Workshop to formally define its collective identity and vision, identify strategic directions, and structure its organisational systems and processes. Jean Celeste Paredes, along with Mary Therese Pepito and Russel Guatno, journeyed with Kasing Sining as facilitators.
Through a series of structure learning exercises, workshops, creative imagery activities, Kasing Sining was able to assemble its strategic plan and corresponding operational plans to support its long-term directions.
Kasing Sining founder Gardy Labad expressed her appreciation to the Step Up team for skillfully managing a group of artists and rallying them to the finish line – completing the output. The workshop was conducted on 27-28 January 2024 at the Balay Kahayag in Baclayon, Bohol.
With the theme, “Advancing Disability Rights and Inclusive Development through Convergence”, the CBM Global Philippines hosted the first-ever conference of organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) and partners held at Bayview Park Hotel, Manila on November 27-29, 2023.
The OPD & Partners Conference showcased CBM Global Philippines’ various disability-inclusive development, humanitarian, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, community mental health, inclusive eye health programs and projects implemented in selected regions in the Philippines. It also presented the OPDs’ good practices in their areas of advocacies.
The 3-day conference covered sessions: project presentation on the gains from inclusion, building from lessons learned from field programs and projects; sharing of good practices specifically on enabling persons with disabilities as agents of change; updates on the country’s disability movement initiatives; and building consensus on Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Report/Commitment and Partnership with UNCRPD.
Two research presentations were also made during the conference. The first one was on the impact of climate change on persons with disability in Bicol Region presented by Simon of Cyrene organization. The second one was on the impact of climate change on persons with disabilities in Laoang, Northern Samar, by Life Haven Center for Independent Living, Inc.
The event also provided opportunities for partnerships and networking among participants and for all members of CBM Global’s Country Advisory Panel (CAP) to have a broader perspective of the organization’s current and future programs.
The Step-Up team facilitates the Annual Review and Planning of the Immaculate Conception Parish Pastoral Plan on 15 July 2023.
The sessions aim to reaffirm the vision, mission, and goals, of the parish as articulated in its Parish Pastoral Plan, assess the implementation of the Parish Pastoral Plan for 2022 to 2023 and identify accomplishments, gaps, and opportunities for improvement and plan the activities for 2023-2024.
The workshop was able to determine the importance of collective contributions to shared goals, celebrate the accomplishments, and be inspired to plan for the future and share the joy with parish workers and volunteers in discussing parish priorities in a safe, welcoming, and empowering environment.
Msgr. Harold Anthony S. Parilla, thanked the team for facilitating the workshop and for reviewing the implementation of the plan. He also encouraged parishioners to continue pursuing planned activities to achieve shared goals.
Step Up facilitates a Strategic Planning Workshop for Buon Pastore Cooperative, a Loboc-based cooperative on March 11, 2023, at the Loboc Tourism Hall. The workshop brought together board members, staff and employees of the cooperative. The sessions delved into various facets crucial for developing robust business strategies, particularly in the cooperative’s current business ventures – trading, gasoline, and quarry business.
The Buon Pastore Cooperative is established to mobilize capital from among all residents of Loboc to provide the needs of Lobocanos and the province to include providing market linkage to residents’ products and services, thereby catalyzing growth and development in the service areas. Since its establishment as a cooperative, Buon Pastore has incessantly empowered leaders through capacity-building training and workshops that develop their entrepreneurial and business skills. Maximizing local resources and opening business opportunities, Buon Pastore endeavours to grow as a cooperative where membership continues to thrive towards economic development.
The workshop’s agenda focused on fostering a forward-thinking mindset, emphasizing the significance of anticipating industry trends and leveraging innovative approaches to stay agile amidst uncertainties.
Participants engaged in dynamic discussions, collaborative exercises, and insightful presentations that explored elements such as goal setting, market analysis, risk assessment, and resource allocation. Through interactive group activities and real-world case studies, attendees were encouraged to apply strategic frameworks tailored to their unique business contexts.
The focus is to meet the needs of the community; thus, the Cooperative’s projects involve bringing to the global market its virgin coconut oil, trading, gas station and quarry operations. The purpose of the Cooperative is both inclusive and expansive to answer the growing needs of the community.
The success and positive reception of this workshop have sparked discussions about potential future sessions and continued collaborative efforts among local businesses to drive collective growth and innovation. The team also assisted the cooperative in crafting their 3-year Strategic Plan.
Step Up Consulting Services conducted a series of workshops to capacitate the men and women of Calunasan, Calape Bohol who are involved in making charcoal briquettes.
Through the grant provided by the farm which the family through its CEO Ms Joy Pulchra Ofamen-Sarabia, the briquette processing equipment and machinery are shared with 40 families who are now engaged in briquette making using cacao pods and other farm organic wastes that could otherwise end up polluting the environment. The briquettes provide access to alternative and cheaper form of energy over wood, burns cleaner firewood and release fewer greenhouse gases.
The team conducted a series of training workshops on business development, costing and pricing, workflow management system, enterprise models, and marketing to make their briquette products commercially viable and sustainable. These workshops were held beginning November 2022 and will continue towards the first quarter of the next year.
The Ofamen Cacao Farm in Calunasan, Calape, Bohol is a recipient of the WHWise: i B L E n D N I C E 4WomEn*, a program launched by the Department of Science and Technology- Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development l in partnership with Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT). MSU IIT is the program’s main implementer in collaboration with Miriam College (MC) and the University of the Philippines – Mindanao (UP-Min).
*WHWise: i B L E n D N I C E 4WomEn (innovation thru Building and Leveraging Entrepreneurship Development, Networking and Inclusive Community Engagement for Women Entrepreneurs) or Women-Helping-Women: Innovating Social Enterprises, is a program that brings together government agencies and private organizations to seek out and prepare women-led social enterprises for growth, scalability, and subsequent Venture Capitalist funding. The program provides a suite of services, including early-stage funding, training, skills development, mentorship, and business incubation. More importantly, it will provide access to technology to enable even women from rural communities to be part of the global economy.
Step Up completes almost 3 months of strategy sessions with Sinar Project of Malaysia to finalize the organization’s five-year strategic plan. The final Strategy Session with Sinar was conducted on 28 April 2022 online, with key officers of the organization.
Sinar Project was formally established in 2014 as a limited liability partnership in Malaysia. From its very inception, the organization aimed to promote transparency, accountability, and openness in government by improving people’s access to public information and data that impact people’s lives. Sinar Project believes that when citizens have greater access to data and information they are able to demand accountability from the government, better participate in decision-making processes involving public welfare, and contribute to the overall well-being of society.
Step Up’s strategy advisor, Michael P. Canares, was the lead consultant hired by East West Management Institute to undertake the strategy planning process.
Step Up Consulting 