DHSUD eyes partnership with UP for HR development

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) is eyeing a potential tie-up with the University of the Philippines (UP) to arm its current and incoming personnel with the technical know-how that is critical in the performance of its mandate.

Representatives from the UP School of Urban and Regional Planning headed by its dean, Dr. Hussein S. Lidasan, on Monday presented a training program for DHSUD’s senior and middle managers and technical staff, citing that being the sole agency responsible for the formulation and implementation of policies and strategies in housing and urban development, it is important for the DHSUD and its personnel to understand its mandate and role in development planning.

DHSUD Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario welcomed the partnership especially as the department is in the midst of hiring new personnel in its central and regional offices.

“I think this is a very welcome opportunity for us to engage the professionals from the private sector so that they can help us enhance the capacity of our human resources,” Secretary Del Rosario said during his opening statement.  

“This is a very important activity for our department which is the youngest of all the agencies in the bureaucracy,” he added.

The envisioned capacity building for DHSUD is in the form of training and development of a graduate degree program to ensure not only professionalism through the environmental planning licensure, but more importantly, to equip DHSUD personnel with the necessary planning theories, concepts and analytical tools to carry out their mandate.

Among the department’s thrust for 2021 include the capacity-building of its personnel and developing a Strategic Human Resource Development Plan that would help the organization to function effectively and efficiently.

“We must ensure that its backbone, our employees, are capable and competent,” Secretary Del Rosario said when he presented the DHSUD’s priorities for the year.

“The Strategic Human Resource Development Plan will support our staff’s professional growth and enable our officials and employees to reach their highest potential,” he added.

Aside from its employees, the training modules to be developed by UP will also directly benefit the DHSUD’s stakeholders, such as local government units, developers, and homeowners associations. (DHSUD)