This year, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) supported the Philippine Extension and Advisory Services Network, Inc. and the College of Public Affairs and Development of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) in addressing the challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic to governance actors and the society through identifying innovative teaching technologies in the “new normal.”
DOST-PCAARRD and UPLB worked together during the 2nd International Conference on Governance and Development (ICGD2) held via Zoom and Facebook Live on March 21-25, 2021. The ICGD2 was themed, “Governance for Development in Post-Pandemic Communities: Innovations for the New Future” and focused on three sub-themes: 1) Emergent Governance Issues and Innovations, 2) Innovation Systems in the New Future, and 3) Development Dilemmas for Communities, Lessons Learned, and Promising Insights and Perspectives for the New Future.
Dr. Jose V. Camacho, Jr., UPLB Chancellor formally opened the event. Camacho highlighted the importance of translating the lessons learned from the pandemic into sustainable policies.
DOST-PCAARRD Executive Director, Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora, on the other hand, emphasized the essence of practicing governance foresight in preparing for future opportunities and threats. Ebora also showcased the current foresight initiatives in the planning and policy formulation of PCAARRD.
As the keynote speaker, Dr. Claudia Nancy Avellaneda of Paul H. O’ Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs of Indiana University, shared her expertise in governance and public management in developing countries. She discussed the importance of political representation and impact of previous records of violence against women in creating pro-women institutions. She reported the high probability of creating pro-women institutions in communities with active political representation of women and experience with high recorded rates of violence against women.
More than a hundred research papers were presented during the conference. Among the presentations were 10 PCAARRD-funded projects including the seven presented in the two PCAARRD-organized parallel sessions: Development of Small Islands and Changing Patterns. Meanwhile, the Council also presented three papers focusing on the assessment of policy constraints for the conduct of public R&D, development of socio economics research, remote data collection protocols for the new normal, and development of mixed method approaches to impact assessment of research projects in Southern Philippines.
The virtual conference served as a venue for exchanging perspectives and insights on governance as a development input and outcome in an envisioned post-pandemic future. Hence, PCAARRD’s support to ICGD2 underlines the Council's priorities and programs on policy analysis and advocacy in the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources sector.
DOST-PCAARRD has been providing augmentation funds to qualified professional, scientific, and academic organizations that pursue activities in support of the Council’s advocacies, banner programs, and goals.