In collaboration with the Municipality of Sta. Cruz, Zambales, Palafox Associates conducted the Sectoral and Municipal Development Council Consultation for the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) of Sta. Cruz on March 19, 2021.

The consultation was attended by several municipal department heads; representatives from national government agencies; barangay captains; representatives from the Samahan ng mga Magsasaka ng Sta. Cruz, Senior CItizen Association, Farmers Association, and Fisherfolks Association; and other stakeholders from the municipality. It is important to work hand in hand with various stakeholders to form site-specific and contextual plans that aim to improve the quality of life in the communities and produce sustainable and equitable development.

Various workshops were conducted to review the municipality’s vision and its elements and to determine which of these elements were deemed by the attendees as the most vital to the development of Sta. Cruz. The succeeding workshops were then focused on validating each of the proposed programs, projects, and activities covering different sectors of the development plan.

The event concluded with all attendees working together to produce the workshop output of the day, which will be crucial in the formulation of the CDP. Some of the vision elements identified as priorities were "to be a Transparent, Dynamic, and Service-Oriented Local Government" and "to be an Investor’s Destination." Special attention was given to education, health, and infrastructure projects to better address communities' needs and to bridge gaps in development.

Dialogue among the technical working group and various stakeholders on the importance and feasibility of these programs will help determine how each one should be prioritized for development. We at Palafox are grateful for the opportunity to work with the Municipality of Sta. Cruz, and we look forward to our continued collaboration with them for the remainder of the project.