Pres. Matunhay, 2 DdOSC officials serve as speakers in int’l conference

Posted on August 25, 2026

Davao de Oro State College President Dr. Lilybeth M. Matunhay and two College officials joined academics and professionals from across the globe as invited speakers in the two-day International Conference on Building Sustainability and a Resilient Future: Global Perspectives, Innovations and Collaborative Pathways, held on August 21–22, 2026.

Dr. Matunhay presented “The Role of Regional Higher Education Institutions in Sustainable Resource-Based Communities,” highlighting the place of higher education institutions in advancing sustainability within communities whose development and livelihoods are closely linked to natural and local resources.

She discussed how higher education, as an important institutional actor, is involved in conversations on sustainable and resilient community development.

Organized by the Research Cell and Department of Geography of Dr. Bhupendra Nath Dutta Smriti Mahavidyalaya in West Bengal, India, the international conference was conducted in collaboration with the Swiss Institute of Management and Sciences (SIMS) in Switzerland and the Forum for Indigenous Agricultural Movement (FIAM) in India.

Themed “Building a Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient Future,” the gathering provided a platform for scholars, researchers, policymakers, civil society organizations, professionals, and students from across the globe to discuss interconnected environmental, social, economic, technological, and cultural challenges and explore innovative approaches toward sustainability and resilience.

Joining Dr. Matunhay were Lovely Mae F. Deoric, LPT, MMEP, EnP, Planning Officer II and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Focal Person, and Karesha Faith C. Cañetan, MALE-ENG, Internationalization Unit Head.

Deoric, meanwhile, discussed “Echoes of Gold and Green: Academic-LGU Governance and Community-based Pathways for Sustainable Ecotourism in Davao de Oro, Philippines,” highlighting academe-LGU collaboration and community-based approaches to sustainable ecotourism.

In her talk, she underscored the role of institutional planning and cross-sector partnerships in advancing locally responsive sustainable development initiatives.

Cañetan presented “A Comparative Perspective on Sustainability, Teacher Development, Digital Innovation, and Internationalization,” focusing on key areas shaping the future of higher education.

Apart from being an international invited speaker, Cañetan was designated Joint Session Co-Chair of Technical Session 2 alongside representatives from other higher education institutions.

She was also named to the event’s international Advisory Committee, representing Davao de Oro State College alongside academics and institutional leaders from Japan, Switzerland, Poland, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, India, the United States, and the Philippines.

The participation of Dr. Matunhay, Deoric, and Cañetan brought DdOSC’s perspectives on regional higher education, sustainable development, academe-government collaboration, teacher development, digital innovation, and internationalization into a broader exchange with academics and professionals from several countries.

Furthermore, this engagement also strengthened the institution’s international academic engagement, while highlighting our commitment to contributing locally grounded perspectives from Davao de Oro to global conversations on sustainable, inclusive, and resilient development.

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