The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) supported the four-day training, “Valuation, Spatial Analysis, and Data Analytics of Ecosystem Services.”
Held from February 12 to 15, 2025 at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Cordillera Administrative Region (DENR-CAR) in Pacdal, Baguio City, the training was organized by the DOST-PCAARRD-funded project, “Valuation and Accounting of Ecosystem Services (VALUES) Lab: Building Capacity for Sustainable Forest and Natural Resources Management,” led by Dr. Canesio D. Predo from the College of Forestry and Natural Resources of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (CFNR-UPLB).
The training aimed to deepen the participants’ knowledge of the theory and practice of ecosystem services assessment and valuation. It covered different valuation methods and data analytics using Stata and InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-Offs) softwares. With Dr. Predo were other resource speakers from UPLB: Dr. Asa Jose U. Sajise, Dr. Margaret M. Calderon, Dr. Ma. Angeles O. Catelo, Dr. Analyn L. Codilan, Dr. Cristino L. Tiburan, and Ms. Jess Riel R. Terbio.
In a dedicated plenary session, Ms. Gemmalyn M. Trespalacio of DOST-PCAARRD’s Socio-Economics Research Division (SERD) also presented the DOST Harmonized National Research and Development Agenda (HNRDA) in the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources (AANR) sector, focusing on the policy analysis and advocacy agenda and initiatives on environmental services. Meanwhile, Dr. Codilan discussed the requirements in packaging proposals. They also addressed inquiries and offered practical advice to participants.
The training gathered 36 participants from eight State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), three National Government Agencies (NGAs), and one Local Government Unit (LGU) across Luzon. As an output of the workshop, participants were expected to develop 11 research proposals designed to be viable for funding from institutions such as PCAARRD.
This Northern Luzon leg is part of a series of training workshops across the country conducted by the VALUES Lab. The initiative aims to capacitate and strengthen the pool of human resources leading research on ecosystem service valuation, spatial analysis, and data analytics. Additional workshops are scheduled to take place in the Bicol Region and Laguna during the first half of the year.