Strengthening partnerships, building communities: University of Baguio participates in Barangay Pinsao Proper General Assembly
“UB continues to support sustainable development initiatives while showing the value of collective action in building resilient and empowered communities.”
On October 24, 2026, the University of Baguio’s Research, Innovation, Extension, Community Outreach, and Sustainability (RIECOS) Office participated in the General Assembly of Barangay Pinsao Proper for the Second Semester of Calendar Year 2026. The assembly was held at the Barangay Hall of Pinsao Proper and it gathered residents, barangay officials, partner institutions, and stakeholders to discuss the barangay’s accomplishments, ongoing initiatives, and development priorities. UB took part as a continuing partner of the barangay in community development, environmental sustainability, and citizen engagement.
Held twice every year, the general assembly gives residents a chance to hear from their barangay officials on what has been accomplished, while giving them a voice in the barangay’s plans. It is one of the few occasions where officials and residents sit face to face, making it a practical exercise in good governance where leaders account for their work in the open and citizens help decide where the community goes next.
The program opened with the ribbon-cutting of the barangay’s newly built Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), a project that UB spearheaded from design to construction through Ar. Sheryll Bautista, the Community Outreach and Extension (COE) Coordinator of the School of Engineering and Architecture (SEA). Funded through fundraising activities conducted by the University’s RIECOS Office, the facility is expected to strengthen Pinsao Proper’s waste segregation, recycling, and sanitation programs. Witnessed by barangay officials, partner institutions, and residents, its opening marks another milestone in the barangay’s pursuit of sustainable development.
Dr. Donnavila Marie Panday-Herbster, Director of the RIECOS Office, then presented updates on the University’s partnership with Barangay Pinsao Proper. She traced how the collaboration began in 2024, built on a shared vision of a community where academic institutions and local government work hand in hand to address residents’ needs. Since then, the partnership has grown through programs such as literacy, health and wellness, and livelihood, along with other extension and community engagement activities shaped around the barangay’s development priorities. Looking ahead, Dr. Panday-Herbster also shared a brief overview of the barangay’s Three-Year Development Plan, highlighting the key projects and directions that will guide Pinsao Proper toward more sustainable and inclusive growth in the coming years.
Beyond these programs, Dr. Panday-Herbster stressed that community engagement is not a one-way delivery of assistance. While the University brings resources, expertise, and services to the barangay, it also learns a great deal from the knowledge and lived experiences of residents, lessons that cannot be fully captured inside a classroom. She noted that UB students, in particular, gain much from community-based work, as it exposes them to real social issues and deepens their understanding of local governance and community development. In closing, she called on residents and stakeholders to take an active part in barangay affairs, describing good governance as a two-way process that thrives on continuous engagement, mutual trust, and cooperation between institutions and the communities they serve.
The participation of UB in the Barangay Pinsao Proper General Assembly advanced several Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) through the promotion of participatory planning and community engagement under Target 11.3. It also contributed to SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) through the inauguration of the Materials Recovery Facility, which supports improved waste management and environmental sanitation under Target 12.5. Furthermore, the activity contributed to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) by strengthening transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in local governance under Targets 16.6 and 16.7. Lastly, it supports SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through the continuing collaboration between the University of Baguio and Barangay Pinsao Proper in implementing community development initiatives under Target 17.17.
UB’s participation reaffirmed the University’s commitment to community engagement, collaborative development, and transformative learning. Through its partnership with Barangay Pinsao Proper, UB continues to support sustainable development initiatives while showing the value of collective action in building resilient and empowered communities.
