DIP Lab Organizes Training of Trainers to Expand its Expert Pool
The Development Innovations and Policy Laboratory (DIP Lab) organized a Training of Trainers for Policy Analysis and Communicating Policy Recommendations at the DIP Lab Learning Facility, College of Public Affairs and Development (CPAf) last October 2–4, 2024. With the goal of expanding its pool of experts for future capacity-building programs, 14 participants, composed of teaching fellows and researchers of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) were capacitated through the workshop.
The three-day training consisted of five modules and six workshops with a final output of a policy brief outline. Dr. Aileen V. Lapitan, the Dean of CPAf and project staff of DIP Lab provided an overview of the policy-making process, highlighting the variations of policies based on the issue at hand. Moreover, Dr. Maria Luz L. Malabayabas, the project leader of DIP Lab Phase 2 discussed the module on problem structuring, giving insight into how to define the problem properly. “A problem well put is half solved,” was a key takeaway from the workshops of Ms. Karen Janiya, a project staff of DIP Lab, where she emphasized the importance of accurately defining the problem.
Meanwhile, Ms. Dhannica Amor Domingo, a project staff of DIP Lab, focused on communicating policy recommendations. She emphasized that policy recommendations must be clear and concise to help stakeholders quickly grasp the issue. In addition, Ms. Therese Marie Quilnat, the assistant manager of DIP Lab emphasized the importance of packaging policy recommendations in the form of policy briefs, stating that they should be comprehensive, credible, and relevant, while also capturing the attention of target readers.
Before concluding the training, participants presented their policy brief outlines, followed by feedback and suggestions from mentors and fellow participants. The program formally closed with the awarding of certificates. The first batch of newly minted DIP Lab trainers and facilitators will be tapped for future DIP Lab activities.
Written By: Ian Carlo R. Perilla
