As the Philippines joins the rest of the world in embracing the changes emerging from the Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIRe), a lot of questions arise, such as: How will the country face the implications of the FIRe, also known as Industry 4.0? How should it re-position its economic and labor regulatory environment in the face of this revolution and its implications? What steps must be undertaken to develop the skills and competencies required for the future labor market? The answers to these questions will be discussed during the Annual Public Policy Conference (APPC) on September 19, 2018, at the Edsa Shangri-La Manila.
The APPC serves as the main and culminating activity of the Development Policy Research Month (DPRM) held every September pursuant to Malacanang Proclamation No. 247. Led by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), the DPRM is an annual nationwide celebration that aims to promote awareness and appreciation of the importance of policy research in crafting relevant and evidence-based policies and programs in the country.
Launched by PIDS in 2015, the objective of the APPC is to convene experts and researchers in the social sciences to flag to legislators critical issues that must be addressed in the immediate term. It is envisioned to serve as a platform to further bridge research and policymaking, and enhance evidence-based planning and policy formulation in the country. Themes featured in previous APPCs include “Institutions and Human Capital”, “Building Resilience”, and “Critical Perspective on Federalism”.
This year’s conference theme, which is also the theme of the DPRM, is “Harnessing the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Creating Our Future Today” or “Isulong ang Fourth Industrial Revolution Tungo sa Katuparan ng Ating Kinabukasan Ngayon”. It was chosen to kindle policymakers’ attention to the potential impacts of Industry 4.0 and motivate them to formulate appropriate adaptation measures. The conference also aims to convene researchers, policymakers, and the private sector to share their insights on how the Philippines can take advantage of the benefits of the FiRE while managing the risks associated with it.
Aside from the APPC, various activities are lined up for the month-long celebration. A press conference will be held on September 4 in Quezon City to herald the start of the DPRM. There will also be regional events, such as the Fourth Mindanao Policy Research Forum on September 11 in Cagayan de Oro City in partnership with the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTSP). A press conference with local officials and stakeholders will be held during this forum. A one-day exhibit will also be mounted on the day of the APPC on September 19. The exhibit will feature technologies/innovations and videos as well as publications and knowledge materials produced by the conference sponsors, which include the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Science and Technology, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Asian Development Bank, Department of Foreign Affairs’ Office of the Undersecretary for International Economic Relations, Global Development Network, and the Australian government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Furthermore, the PIDS issued memorandum circulars enjoining government agencies (through the Civil Service Commission), as well as local government units (through the Department of the Interior and Local Government), to participate in the DPRM celebration by displaying the DPRM banner (either the English or Filipino version) within their office premises; to repost and share DPRM infographics, promotional videos, and other related announcements in their dissemination outlets; or to organize activities or events related to the theme or to policy research.
To know more about the APPC and the DPRM, the public may visit the following websites http://dprm.pids.gov.ph, http://appc.pids.gov.ph, and https://www.pids.gov.ph. They may also check on PIDS’ social accounts at https://www.facebook.com/PIDS.PH/ and https://twitter.com/PIDS_PH. We also encourage everyone to use the hashtags #DPRM2018 and #APPC2018_on_FIRe when making comments and messages about these events. ###