In its mission to strengthen the Science, Technology, and Innovation (ST&I)’ s community involvement in policymaking, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) organized a training, “Strengthening DOST-PCAARRD and Regional R&D Consortia’s Internal Capacity in Policymaking: A Training Workshop on Policy Analysis and Advocacy” held on August 11–15, 2025, at Sequoia Hotel, Diliman, Quezon City.
Led by the Policy Analysis and Information Management Unit (PAIMU) of the Council’s Socio-Economics Research Division, the training sought to enhance DOST-PCAARRD and the regional consortia’s involvement in policymaking. Specifically, it aimed to cultivate an appreciation for policy analysis and advocacy among participants, deepen their understanding of the legislative process, and build their capacity to effectively use policy analysis and advocacy tools.
To ensure the effectiveness of the training program, the training engaged persons from key institutions. Experts from the Department of Legislative Liaison Office (DLLO), including Dir. Lita S. Suerte Felipe, Mr. Garry L. Aligmayo, Mr. Mark Joseph A. Tano, Ms. Kristine Dominique M. Zamora, Engr. Cristopher B. Agbulig, and Executive Director Roentgen F. Bronce, handled the introductory session. Meanwhile, experts from the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP NCPAG) including Dean Krisoffer B. Berse, Dr. Rizalino Cruz, and Dr. Maria Faina Diola, guided the participants through the intricacies of public policy. The Governance Reform, Innovation, and Transformation Research Laboratories (GRIT Labs), represented by Mr. Bryan Jove, Ms. Rosemay Thea A. Pañares, Ms. Anne Denise H. Ledesma, Ms. Priscilla Denise G. Pigao, and Mr. John Coby Cabuhat, also facilitated intensive exercises.
Building on the success of the past year’s training, this year’s program was expanded to include not only DOST-PCAARRD staff but also representatives from the Regional R&D Consortia, which form an integral part of PCAARRD’s R&D management system. A total of 26 participants from the 15 Regional R&D Consortia joined the training, representing the following institutions: Benguet State University, Mountain Province State University, Mariano Marcos State University, Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Region 2, Central Luzon State University, Cavite State University, Occidental Mindoro State College, Bicol University, West Visayas State University, Bohol Island State University, Visayas State University, Department of Science and Technology XI, Central Mindanao State University, University of Southern Mindanao, and Western Mindanao State University. In addition, 10 participants from various divisions of DOST-PCAARRD also took part in the training.
The training-workshop was divided into two sessions: the introductory and intensive sessions. The introductory session focused on the policymaking process, providing participants with a background on how policies are designed, negotiated, refined, and enacted or developed. This served as preparation for the intensive session, where participants gained hands-on experience in diagnosing policy problems and framing them for effective analysis and advocacy; generating, comparing, and evaluating potential policy options; drafting clear, well-structured, and evidence-based position papers; writing concise and persuasive policy briefs tailored for decision-makers; and presenting and defending policy recommendations through oral briefings. These activities were designed to ensure that the ST&I community are capacitated in effectively translating their research outputs into policy recommendations that can be considered and adopted in the formulation of science-informed policies.
Both sessions emphasized the importance of making science more appealing and seizing every opportunity to present policy recommendations to decision-makers. Discussions highlighted strategies such as identifying the right stakeholders to engage, enhancing appreciation for policy outputs, and developing clear and feasible recommendations. These insights were further enriched by the experiences and practical examples shared by the resource persons.
In the intensive session, participants applied their learning to diagnose and develop policy recommendations on a range of issues across agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources (AANR) sector. These included the low adoption and poor implementation of the Philippine Good Agricultural Practices (PhilGAP) by farmers, seasonal water scarcity in the Abra River Basin, low seed production of tilapia in Luzon during warm months, and the overfishing of Sardinella spp. in the Visayas Region. They also tackled broader national concerns such as the low productivity of rice in the Philippines, frequent and massive flooding in NCR, and the inconsistent implementation of the Milk Feeding Program (MFP) under RA 11037.
This training forms part of DOST-PCAARRD’s commitment to operationalize its Policy Analysis and Advocacy banner program, PoliSiyensya, which aims to intensify the promotion of science-based policy reforms and strengthen the voice of the science community in policy and decision-making. Moving forward, PCAARRD staff and members of the R&D Regional Consortia are expected to apply these insights in advancing evidence-informed policy recommendations and engaging more effectively with policymaking bodies and other key stakeholders.