So yeah, I am currently back here in Iloilo after another weekend spent in Manila on the MtG Philippine Nationals 2018. I am trying to cope with the lack of sleep, short of the tasks needed at the office, and the content of my part on our paper in P205.

I took the first flight to Iloilo, and thankfully, since there were no delays, I arrived at the boarding house before 6:00 am. I then unloaded my stuff, checked some emails, and ate breakfast. I then prepared my laptop with the files needed for today’s presentation of our project proposal at the municipal hall of Pavia and left at past 8:30 in the morning.

I haven’t gotten a decent sleep during the travel from Manila, so I just drank the remaining contents of the Red Bull bottle I’ve brought for the second day of the Nationals event. The travel to Pavia took only two rides, and I arrived at around 9:15 am. I was surprised to arrive first, as I had thought that the meetup time was 9:00 am. I then messaged Ma’am Mabel that I was around, and she told me to just go to her office at the Municipal Planning Department. My fellow classmates started to arrive a few moments later, and then after a few hrs of reviewing the presentations, we started the session. The first project was on the construction of the Solid Waste management system, followed by the new design of the Pavia Slaughterhouse. My group was the last one to present, and we showed the project on the construction of an establishment of Pavia Multi-Purpose Event Center.

All of the projects got positive feedback, and we are hoping that the Pavia LGU will implement the presented projects. We wrapped up the night by working on the components of the paper that need more definitions and detailing. I got home at around 9:00 pm and called it a night. We have all been hoping to catch the deadlines before the semester ends, and so we have to exert extra work and time.

I am still wondering if it is really back to regular programming..

My graduate school studies at UP will again begin anew tomorrow with the start of the second semester. I remembered taking this course on Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning as a necessity for my work at the Iloilo City Hall. The first semester was very tiring with all the paper works and maybe mainly because of my lack of reading comprehension. I am planning to change that this time.

The subjects that we will be taking are P214 – Planning Analysis and P299 – Research Methods in Planning. P214 will be particular about the Models, methods& other tools for spatial-based planning analysis whereas P299 is on major research methods & concepts applicable to planning. The first subject looks to delve deeper into the planning analysis on the sectoral level. I think I can base it on the current methods that we are using at the office pertaining to the CLUP of Iloilo City.

What I am sort of worrying on right now is the conduction of a research project in P299. I have not think of a topic or issue yet but as I look through the course syllabus, the procedure might be very complex, and grinding every detail. I guess I needed to enhance my preparation this time.

Good thing I found a guide for reference on a website. I guess I will just follow and practice them and everything will be okay, right?

I have not yet enrolled in the second semester of my course on the Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning but I think I should already start on the preparation for the Environmental Planning licensure board exam. Passing this exam is my main objective after graduating from the course, and the challenge in doing this is highly overwhelming.

For a quick recap, the Board of Environmental Planning has a Republic Act No. 10587 which states “An Act Regulating the Practice of Environmental Planning, Repealing for the Purpose Presidential Decree 1308, titled “Law Regulating the Environmental Planning Profession in the Philippines,” and for Other Purposes.” In this regard, the Environmental Planning licensure board exam was established.

The start of the second semester classes will be next week and so I had to wrap up the requirements and budget within this week so I could finish processing the enrolment in one day. Anyhow, as a start of my preparation, I have asked Ma’am Janis Sy, my officemate who took the EnP board exam two years ago if she has some notes, documents and review materials which I can use for reference. The good thing is that she had stored a copy in her laptop. The Environmental Planning notes cover the following:

• Capability Building Seminar on Environmental Planning which was held in Bacolod city last May 16-20, 2016
• Exam Instructions from the PRC
• Laws and related legal references to EnP
• Planning Reference Materials

That is a bunch of documents in just four folders which I think I would not be able to read or even open all of them but it is still good that I have a copy in case a citation is needed.

I might base my review pattern to this blog but I am hoping to organize and start as soon as possible. No more distraction this time please.