The Asian Association for Public Administration (AAPA) in collaboration with The Public Administration Association of Thailand (PAAT) held its 2016 Annual Conference with the theme Public Administration and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): New Agendas and Major Challenges on 19 – 20 February 2016 at the Burapha University, Chonburi Province Thailand.
The SDGs encompasses poverty and hunger, climate change, energy, consumption, marine resources, inequality, economic growth, ecosystems and environment, peace and justice, human settlements, water management, education for sustainable development and lifelong learning, food security, gender equality, industrial sustainability, inclusive well-being, accountable and inclusive institutions, and the global partnership for sustainable development.
One of the emphases of the conference is Local Governance, Government and Administration, thus Dr. Malu C. Barcillano, Director of the Center for Local Governance and Program Director of the Graduate School Master in Public Administration and Master in Business Administration Cluster presented her research on the Local Good Governance Practices: The Case of the Local Government Unit of Naga City. As reflected in its Abstract: “The case of the Local Government Unit of Naga City, Philippines is widely recognized for its model for good governance. Naga City has been recognized by various award-giving bodies relative to its remarkable practices to effective public administration and governance. It has been cited by various institutions and has garnered over 140 awards over the years. Naga city is located in the Bicol Region, a peninsula on the southernmost tip of the island of Luzon. It is the most densely-populated city in the region, and is locally known as the ‘Heart of Bicol.’ It is the commercial, financial, educational, religious and cultural center of the region.”
The Asian Association for Public Administration (AAPA) was established in 2010 with the aim to expand and improve research and academic exchange on public administration and public policy in the Asian region. Prior to it, a number of Asian scholars formed the Asian Public Management Forum and had annual meetings for several years since 2001 which paved the way for the establishment of AAPA.
The 1st inaugural conference of AAPA was held in Tokyo in 2010, followed by the 2nd in Jakarta in 2011, the 3rd in Hong Kong SAR of China in 2012, and the 4th in Seoul in 2013. The 5th annual conference was held in Cebu, the Philippines on 6-8 February 2014. The 6th conference was held in Xi’an, China on 9-10 January 2015 .The 7th conference will be held in Thailand in February, 2016.
The conference was attended by the AAPA members all over Asia.
by Benita Michele C. Verdadero
