On 20 to 24 February 2012, a high level delegation from Nepal, made up of CSO members and government officials, visited the Philippines as part of a learning visit on land reform issues in the country. The delegation included members of the Ministry of Land Reform and Management, including the Hon. Minister Bhim Prasad Gautam, Secretary Dinesh Hari Adhikari, Joint Secretary Krishna Bahadur Raut, and Director General Jeet Bahadur Thapa. ILC Asia partner Community Self-Reliance Centre (CSRC) were also a part of the delegation. The learning tour was supported by ILC and organized in partnership with ANGOC.
During their visit in Manila, the delegation paid a courtesy visit to the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), including the Hon. Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes, Undersecretary Gerundio C. Madueño, and Undersecretary Anthony N. Paruñgao. The delegation also participated in a series of meetings with the DAR to share their experiences with land issues in Nepal and to learn about the experiences of CSOs and the government in land reform in the Philippines. This included field visits in the provinces of Cebu and Bohol, in the southern part of the Philippines.
At the end of their visit, members of delegation reported that they were “really impressed” with the land reform program in the Philippines. They noted that inputs from the government and women’s empowerment and equal participation in policy-making are very important, and these points will be shared with other stakeholders and partners back in Nepal.
The delegation also began preparations with ILC for the National Engagement Strategy formulation, set for April 2012.
International Land Coalition| ILC Asia 