Dr. Barcillano Presents Paper in International Research Forum  

Dr. Malu C. Barcillano, Director of Ateneo de Naga University's Center for Local Governance (AdNU-CLG), presented a paper entitled "Reinventing the Naga City School Board: Improving Educational Outcomes" during the International Research Forum held at the Hotel Rembrandt in Quezon City last May 15, 2008.

Dr. Barcillano's highly lauded research, specially selected for this particular forum, highlighted the practices of the Naga City School Board which, in 2004, earned the prestigious “Galing Pook Award.”

The forum, dubbed "Making Research Work for Effective Local Governance," was attended by local and foreign governance practitioners. Spearheaded by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), it brought together delegates from various national government agencies and local government units (LGU) in the Philippines. Likewise in attendance were DILG regional directors. Their foreign counterparts from Canada, Nepal, and India also came to participate in this event.

Being a member-institute of the Local Governance Training & Research Institute-Philippine Network, Incorporated (LoGoTRIPhil-Net, Inc.), AdNU-CLG was invited to take part in this forum. Representing the University with Dr. Barcillano was Ms. Benita Michele S. Ciudadano, a staff member of AdNU-CLG.

The aim of this event was to provide governance stakeholders with an opportunity for sharing research initiatives and outputs among themselves by: (1) introducing the role of research in local government policy-making; (2) promoting partnership between LGUs and research institutions towards good local governance; and (3) identifying research agenda on emerging local governance issues.

The thematic presentations during the forum were divided into the following clusters:  (1) Governance and Administration; (2) Economic Development; (3) Gender and Development; (4) Social Services; (5) Environmental Management; and (6) Conflict Management.

The forum was graced by the presence of Hon. Austere A. Panadero, Undersecretary for Local Government of DILG; Ms. Marivel C. Sacendoncillo, Executive Director of LGA and President of LoGoTRIPhil-Net, Inc.; Dr. Simeon A. Ilago, Executive Director, University of the Philippines-Center for Local and Regional Governance; Dr. Alex N. Brillantes, Dean, University of the Philippines-National College of Public Administration & Governance; Dr. Vinay D. Lall, President of the LoGoTRI Asia Pacific; and Mr. Robert Roe, International Project Manager, Government of Manitoba, Canada.  

The Center for Local & Regional Governance (CLRG), LoGoTRIPhil-Net, Inc., Network of Local Government Training and Research Institute of Asia and the Pacific (LoGoTRI), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) through the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) and the Province of Manitoba, Canada were among the forum partners.