mikocanares Asia, Associates, core expertise, Core services, Facilitation, Monitoring and Evaluation

Step Up Consulting Services Leads Impact Assessment of HNU Extension Programs in Tanday, Corella, Bohol

Holy Name University (HNU), through its Center for Community Extension, Linkages, and Partnerships (CELP) headed by Marijoe Narca, recently completed an impact assessment of its extension programs in Barangay Tanday, Corella, Bohol, with Step Up Consulting Services conducting the external evaluation.

The assessment reviewed HNU’s wide range of extension initiatives designed to promote holistic community development. These include leadership and skills development for barangay officials and health workers through the Tanday Pagsanay program; values and cultural formation through Christmas Outreach Activities; youth and women empowerment through Summer Camps and sports clinics; and integrated services provided through the annual One University Outreach.

Livelihood and environmental sustainability efforts were also evaluated, particularly the Bahandi sa Kawayan project, which supports local basket weaving and sustainable bamboo use among others. Spiritual formation initiatives, such as regular Eucharistic celebrations in barangay chapels, were likewise included in the assessment as part of HNU’s values-driven approach to extension work.

Step Up Consulting Services employed a qualitative and mixed-methods approach using focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and document review to generate comprehensive and reliable evidence of program outcomes. The evaluation measured the impact of the programs on key areas including capacity-building, livelihood, education, health, youth engagement, cultural preservation, and environmental sustainability, in line with Commission on Higher Education (CHED) standards for extension impact evaluation.

The results of the assessment show that HNU’s extension programs have high relevance and positive impact on the community, particularly in strengthening preventive healthcare, improving local governance, enhancing livelihood opportunities, and preserving cultural heritage. The programs were also found to strongly align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDGs 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 11, 12, 16, and 17, demonstrating HNU’s deliberate integration of global development frameworks into grassroots engagement.

The long-standing partnership between Holy Name University and Barangay Tanday was identified as a key factor in the success of the initiatives. Characterized by trust, participatory planning, and shared ownership, the collaboration involves faculty, students, administrative staff, alumni, barangay officials, and community members working together to ensure the relevance and sustainability of interventions.

Through this external evaluation, Holy Name University further strengthens its commitment to institutionalizing extension as a core function alongside instruction and research. The findings affirm HNU’s role as a catalyst for holistic and inclusive community development, advancing social responsibility, evangelization, and sustainable development at the local level.

mikocanares Asia, Consulting Services, core expertise, Core services, Facilitation, Local Government Units, Research Projects

Step Up Conducts  Series of Data Gathering Activities for Urban Climate Finance Study in Tagbilaran City

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:

  1. Developing a scoping study on the conditions that facilitate climate finance in Tagbilaran.
  2. 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.