Monday, 10 February 2025

EVENT TITLE: PLANADES HOLDS 47TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING, CHARTS FUTURE DIRECTION

27 January 2025 – The Planning and Development Research Foundation, Inc. (PLANADES) successfully held its 47th Annual General Membership Meeting on January 27, 2025, at the School of Urban and Regional Planning, University of the Philippines. The event brought all the registered PLANADES active members in terms of esteemed experts in the field of urban and regional planning, both in-person and via online video conferencing, with participants joining from various parts of the world, including Germany and Pakistan.

The meeting took place over lunch and extended until 4:00 PM, delivering crucial updates to members. Key agenda items included preliminary business, candidate nominations for board membership, elections for the Board of Trustees, and reports from the President, Executive Director, and Treasurer. The session concluded with important announcements and well-deserved recognitions.

Preliminary business - The meeting opened with the approval of the agenda, followed by a roll call and the endorsement of the previous year’s general membership meeting minutes. During this initial session, members proposed and approved a strategic adjustment—moving the nomination of candidates for new officers and the election ahead of the President’s report to streamline proceedings.

Nomination of candidates and election for the Board of Trustees - The election nomination process officially began, presenting the following distinguished candidates for consideration: Ms. Grace Aguilos, EnP. Richelle Escolar, Dr. Mark Anthony M. Morales, Enp. Rabinder Dickton Rye, Enp. Kristine Aspiras, Dr. Carmeli Marie Chaves, Mr. Dennis Navera, EnP. Patricia Shaira Esguerra, and Dr. Jose Regunay. Out of the nine candidates, seven were successfully elected as PLANADES board members Enp. Richelle Escolar, Dr. Mark Anthony M. Morales, EnP. Rabinder Dickton Rye, Enp. Kristine Aspiras, Dr. Carmeli Marie Chaves, and EnP. Patricia Shaira Esguerra.

The President, Executive Director, and Treasurer’s reports - The secretariat, led by EnP Arlene Santiago, called on the President to provide the progress report and updates on the organization’s developments. PLANADES President, Dr. Mark Anthony M. Morales, presented an overview of the foundation’s recent accomplishments and initiatives. Additionally, Executive Director Dr. Tabassam Raza and Treasurer EnP Maria Veronica A. Arcilla delivered key reports highlighting the Project development status and organization's financial status and strategic direction respectively.

A major highlight of the event was the presentation of PLANADES’ five-year strategic plan, which outlined the foundation’s goals and initiatives for the coming years. This roadmap aims to strengthen PLANADES’ role in shaping sustainable urban and regional development policies and practices. Additionally, Atty. Roy Philippe Talao, representing PLANADES' legal team, provided updates on the organization’s name change.

Announcements & Recognition - Certificates of appreciation were awarded to EnP Arlene D.R. Santiago, Dr. Karen Ann B. Jago-on, EnP Maria Veronica A. Arcilla, Dr. Mark Anthony M. Morales (reelected), EnP Rabinder Dickton S. Rye (reelected), and Dr. Tabassam Raza.

With the successful conclusion of its 47th General Membership Meeting, PLANADES reaffirms its commitment to advancing urban and regional planning research and development. The foundation looks forward to implementing its strategic vision, fostering collaboration among experts, and continuing its impactful contributions to the field.