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Maintaining a Philippine focus through Sustainable Development Solutions

Sustainable Development Solutions (SDS) is at the forefront of development consulting for agriculture and rural development, natural resources management and conservation, and institutional strengthening in the Philippines since being established in 1997.

A sister company of HAI, SDS has grown through the years as one of the most stable and highly respected Filipino consulting firms in the country whose current project portfolio is worth over A$50 million. Its banner projects include the ADB-funded Southern Philippines Irrigation Sector Project (SPISP) and the AusAID-funded Philippine Community Assistance Program (PACAP), both undertaken with HAI. The clientele base of SDS covers AusAID, the ADB, World Bank, JBIC, kFW, the EU and at least three Australian government agencies and various national government and private sector institutions in country.

SDS traces its roots to the design and management of participatory irrigation projects but now has diversified its portfolio to include community development, agrarian reform, integrated area development, agricultural technology and information transfer, water resources management and infrastructure development. With the SDS portfolio gradually reaching out to other sectors and other Asian countries (Indonesia and Tajikistan), so are its services evolving and expanding from project design, management, and implementation to monitoring and evaluation, training and capacity building. SDS is now an accredited training institution of the Philippine Society for Training and Development (PSTD).

All these lay testimony to the vision of SDS as a highly reputable, people-centered and service-oriented project management company continuously serving as a true partner of HAI and its commitment to sustainable development outcomes. How these outcomes are delivered is aptly embodied in PIPES: as SDS cares about People, values its Integrity, recognizes the importance of Profit, performs with Efficiency, and delivers high-quality Services.

SDS owes its success, most especially, to the vibrant leadership of Ms Cristina V. Mascardo, at the helm since 1997 as President. Tina, as she is fondly called, is highly respected and well-loved by HAI and the SDS family, and her counterparts in the Philippine consulting industry. Tina is a genuine people mover, one who inspires people to innovate, take charge and believe in themselves. The SDS Family, its top management and staff have remained intact for 10 years now, due in no small part to Tina’s leadership. She presides over the company’s day-to-day affairs and its three principal divisions: Corporate Services, Business Development and Marketing, and Project Management and Quality Assurance.

Under the mentoring of HAI, SDS has successfully navigated the waters of the Philippine consulting industry, through economic booms and crises (SDS was formed under the tumultuous reign of Joseph Estrada). SDS is growing from strength to strength, a true testimony to a harmonious and effective working partnership between Australia and the Filipino people. There are plans to branch out in future into international projects.

Email: sds@sds.com.ph