In the pursuit of good public administration and governance in the country, the Association of Schools of Public Administration in the Philippines (ASPAP) Inc. hosted this year’s National Conference and General Assembly with the theme “Public Administration, Management, and Governance Education in the Philippines: Transcending Pandemic Uncertainties and Championing Academic and Institutional Reforms,” held last 6-7 December 2022 via a hybrid setup with the on-site venue at International Center of Public Administration, National College of Public Administration and Governance, University of the Philippines, Quezon City, and online via ZOOM Video Communications.

The Association of Schools of Public Administration in the Philippines (ASPAP) Inc. is a national organization of academic institutions all over the country offering degree programs in public administration, management, and governance (PAMG) with a rich pool of academic and institutional resources, promoting collaboration and co-creation of knowledge, innovation, and good practices among PA schools; enhancing the quality of PA education, research, and services; and building networks and partners with PA and government stakeholders for sustained institutional and policy reforms.

The national conference and general assembly ran through a series of plenary sessions tackling the aim to map out the directions of academic and institutional reforms and shape the future of PAMG education in the country. Dr. Malu C. Barcillano, Dean of the Graduate School and Director of the Center for Local Governance of Ateneo de Naga University, were among the panel of speakers who tackled during the second plenary discussion the experiences and practices in their respective academic institutions on the PMAG education amid the pandemic entitled “Unraveling the State and Good Practices of PMAG HEIs in the time of Pandemic.”

In Dr. Barcillano’s discussion, she highlighted the Extension and Social Involvement of Ateneo de Naga University specifically the Service-Learning Activities of Ateneo de Naga University-Center for Local Governance.

Through the immeasurable contribution of Dr. Malu Barcillano who is representing the university, ASPAP, Inc. recognized Ateneo de Naga University as one of its institutional partners and received a plaque of appreciation for serving the organization as Public Relations Officer from 2019-2022.

Exemplifying through the call of ‘magis’, the Ateneo de Naga University has been elected again as a member of the Board of Directors and as a Public Relations Officer of the Association of Schools of Public Administration in the Philippines, Inc. (ASPAP, Inc) from 2022-2025 during the 2020 ASPAP National Conference and General Assembly.

by Camille Faye R. Badong