The Localization and Institutionalization Division (LID) spearheaded the conduct of the North Luzon cluster Workshop on the Formulation of the Regional Plan of Action for Children (RPAC) at El Cielito Hotel in Baguio City from 19-24 June 2023.

The workshop aims to assist the RCSWCs in the formulation of their 6-year RPAC; it shall ensure that RPAC contributes to the achievement of the goals, outcomes, and targets of the National Plan of Action for Children or NPAC and is aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and the Philippine Development Plan (PDP). Through the RPAC, the regions are assured that child rights are integrated into Regional Development Planning, mainstreamed in the rationalized local planning processes, and contributed to the national results.

Director Leo L. Quintilla of DSWD Field Office CAR welcomed the participants from the Regional Committees and Sub-Committees for the Welfare of Children from Regions I, II, III, and CAR. Director Quintilla officially opened the workshop with a message to the participants to understand children in the context of their region to formulate a good plan. He also emphasized the importance of looking beyond the numbers or data by providing an analysis of the various deprivations experience by the children in their respective regions. Director Marie Angela S. Gopalan of the DSWD Field Office I supported the endeavor by participating in the workshops.

Dr. Henry R. Ruiz, the consultant for the Formulation of the RPAC, had sessions on Causality analysis, Theory of Change, Change Strategies, and other topics relevant to the formulation of the plan. He also facilitated several workshops to ensure that the regions could produce the expected outputs at the end of the workshop.

The North Luzon Workshop on the Formulation of the RPAC is the first of the five cluster workshops the CWC-LID will conduct until August 2023.