NDMU President Serves as Panelist in Regional Collaborative Forum on Strengthening Planners’ Network

Notre Dame of Marbel University (NDMU) President, Bro. Paterno S. Corpus, FMS, Ed.D., served as one of the distinguished panelists during the Collaborative Forum: Building the Planner’s Network through NGA–Academe–APO–LGU Partnerships, organized by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Region XII on January 29, 2026, at the Greenleaf Hotel, General Santos City.

The one-day Planners’ Network and Technical Briefing highlighted the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration in strengthening planning capacities across the region. One of its key sessions focused on building a sustainable Planners’ Network that will serve as a platform for technical cooperation, knowledge exchange, and partnerships among academic institutions, professional organizations, national government agencies, and local government units (LGUs) in Region XII.

The forum aimed to generate actionable insights to support LGUs in the preparation and implementation of Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs), Local Urban Design Guides (LUDGs), and Open Space Development Plans (OSDPs) in line with the Department’s Resilient Urban Design and Development (RUDD) and Open Space Development (OSD) Guidelines.

During the discussion, Bro. Paterno Corpus highlighted NDMU’s strong institutional capacities as a partner in development planning and research. He shared that the University has obtained multiple ISO certifications, including ISO 19001:2015 for Management Systems, ISO 21001:2018 for Educational Organizations, and ISO 14001:2015 for Environmental Management, reflecting NDMU’s commitment to quality, excellence, and sustainability.

He also emphasized the University’s active collaborations with various government and private institutions such as SMART, DOST, DILG, and DTI, among others. On the international front, Bro. Corpus proudly cited NDMU’s partnership with NASA, particularly the installation of the NASA Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) Station within the University campus—an initiative that contributes to global atmospheric and climate research.

Concluding his message, Bro. Paterno Corpus expressed NDMU’s strong support for the Planners’ Network and formally pledged the University’s full commitment to the partnership, reinforcing NDMU’s role as a key academic partner in regional development, research, and capacity-building initiatives.

Through engagements such as this, NDMU continues to advance its mission of service, collaboration, and excellence in contributing to sustainable urban development and good governance in Region XII and beyond.