The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), together with ICOMOS Philippines, successfully concluded the Kabilin Partnership Program (KPP) Team Planning Sessions held from November 20 to 22, 2025 at One Central Hotel, Cebu City. The three-day planning activity brought together project directors, leads, technical specialists, and program staff to align priorities, finalize milestone calendars, and strengthen coordination across all KPP heritage initiatives for 2026โ2029.
The sessions brought together program team members from both ICOMOS Philippines and RAFI. The ICOMOS Philippines delegation was led by Dr. Cheek Fadriquela, President, along with the Project DirectorsโDr. Laya Gonzales for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Santo Niรฑo Devotion (ICHSN); LAr. Gabriel Victor Caballero for PAMANA 2030โs Philippine Policy Guidance for Heritage and the Sustainable Development Goals (MPHSD); and Mr. Joselito Corpus, MHSP for the National Training Course on Disaster Risk Management of Cultural Heritage (DRMCH). They were joined by Mr. Abdulbasir Endong, Heritage Affairs Officer; Ms. Chelsea Kaye Cabahug, ICHSN Local Research Assistant; and Ar. Carmencita Solis, Cebu-based member and Ped Expert for DRMCH.
From RAFI, attendees included Marie Sol D. Gonzalvo, Executive Director for the North and Central Portfolio; Ar. Kenneth Tua, PhD, Kabilin Chief Project Officer; Ador Vincent Mayol, MPHSD Project Lead; King Rosales, DRMCH Project Lead; John Wesley Rocha, ICHSN Project Lead; Joworski Alipon; John Russel Bragat; Chelsea Kaye Cabahug, Local Research Assistant; Abigail Eugenio; John Russel Bragat; Marthel Jay Ubas; and Lhance Caratao.
The planning sessions formally opened with an orientation on the Kabilin Integrated Project Teams, focusing on changes to program initiation requirements, manpower updates, required planning outputs, and updated grants management procedures. Discussions ensured that all teams were aligned with improved processes for project charter preparation, disbursement protocols, and efficient budget utilizationโkey mechanisms supporting program implementation.
Participants then worked on refining the Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) of each project in relation to both the RAFI and ICOMOS Philippines calendars, producing a consolidated milestone roadmap covering 2026 to 2029, along with a detailed Year 2 (2026) implementation schedule. This allowed project teams from DRMCH, MPHSD, and ICHSN to synchronize their targets and identify strategic dependencies across initiatives.
A significant portion of the sessions was dedicated to reviewing and approving the summarized PIPโWBSโMilestones of each project cluster. Each team presented its four-year and Year 2 plans for validation, resolution, and approval, ensuring that all activities align with program goals, resource availability, and organizational priorities for heritage conservation and capacity-building.
The workshop continued with an in-depth planning session focused on crafting 2026 Activity Proposals, where teams underwent guided proposal development, internal discussions, and cross-team consultations. These proposals, once consolidated, will serve as the foundation for year-round implementation and interdepartmental coordination.
The Core Project Management Team also held specialized meetings to address year-specific planning, activity sequencing, and plotting of scheduled tasks into the unified MS Excel master calendar. Final presentations of the Activity Proposals for DRMCH, MPHSD, and ICHSN were conducted, followed by resolutions and approval motions to proceed with implementation preparations for 2026.
The planning concluded with a joint meeting between the Core Project Management and Grants Teams, focusing on validating aggregated disbursement requirements, clarifying budget utilization guidelines, and strengthening support mechanisms for the programโs expanding portfolio of heritage initiatives.
The Kabilin Partnership Program Team Planning Sessions reaffirmed the strong collaboration between RAFI and ICOMOS Philippines in advancing heritage conservation in the Visayas through aligned strategies, strengthened systems, and coordinated organizational direction. The outputs of the three-day activity will guide the next cycle of heritage programs and ensure that project teams remain equipped to deliver sustainable, community-centered, and well-coordinated heritage interventions.
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