CATBALOGAN CITY, Philippines—Samar State University (SSU) opened a two-day Updating of University Policy session on December 11-12, 2025, bringing together the academic community of 58 university personnel, including key officials, teaching staff, and non-teaching employees, in a hybrid setup. The activity is led by the Planning Management Office (PMO) as part of the university’s continuous efforts to strengthen institutional governance and prepare SSU for future challenges.
Day 1 features two national experts in futures thinking and strategic planning: Dr. Ruperto S. Sangalang, Senior Fellow at PhilFutures, delivered a comprehensive discussion on Strategic Planning & Disruptors, focusing on how institutions can adapt, innovate, and respond to rapid changes in the education landscape. This was followed by Mr. Emmanuel De Guia, Resident Futurist and consultant for the Senate Committee on SDGs, Innovation, and Futures Thinking, who tackled the Disruption Framework and the evolving realities of the Age of Disruption, emphasizing the importance of foresight-driven policy development.
Day 2, scheduled for tomorrow, will continue the learning track with hands-on workshops led by PhilFutures fellows. Ms. Jalaine Joyce V. Malabanan will facilitate sessions on crafting scenarios and identifying disruptors, guiding participants in applying futures thinking tools to SSU’s policy environment. Meanwhile, Prof. Ramces M. Dili will conduct workshops on Environmental Scanning and the “How Might We?” Builder, designed to help participants translate insights into actionable policy directions.
The two-day session underscores SSU’s commitment to responsive, future-ready policy-making to ensure that institutional guidelines evolve in step with long-term sustainability goals.