About the Annual Public Policy Conference

The Annual Public Policy Conference (APPC) aims to convene policy experts and researchers to analyze critical issues relevant to development planning and policymaking. It is the main and culminating activity of the Development Policy Research Month (DPRM).

As the convenor of the yearly DPRM celebration, state think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) envisions the APPC to serve as a platform to cultivate a strong culture of research and use of data and evidence among the country's national and local decisionmakers in policymaking and program planning.

Since it was launched in 2015, the APPC has served as a useful platform to discuss important socioeconomic issues and actionable recommendations.

Past APPCs

1st APPC (2015) - Harnessing Our Institutions and Human Capital for Inclusive Growth

2nd APPC (2016) - Risks, Shocks, Building Resilience

3rd APPC (2017) - Critical Perspectives on Federalism for Regional Development

The Inaugural Public Policy Conference featured the two crucial elements of development—human capital and institutions. It gathered the brightest minds in the Philippine social science scene in an informed reflection of the role of human capital formation and the right set of policies to realize sustainable and inclusive development.

For its second installment, PIDS repackaged the APPC by organizing parallel sessions to discuss the conference theme “Risks, Shocks, Building Resilience”. The sessions delved on the issues affecting the resilience of the macroeconomic, agriculture, urban environment, and health sectors.

The Duterte administration’s proposal to shift to a federal system demands a bold response and clear action from organizations and individuals. PIDS dedicated the third APPC to initiate an informed and participatory discourse on the major issues surrounding federalism.

4th APPC (2018) - Harnessing the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Creating Our Future Today

5th APPC (2019) - Navigating the New Globalization: Local Actions for Global Challenges

This conference tackled issues and opportunities facing the Philippines as it embraces the Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIRe). It brought together experts, academics, policymakers, and private sector and civil society representatives in a multidisciplinary conversation on how the Philippines can harness the opportunities and manage the risks emerging from FIRe.

The New Globalization has reached the Philippine shores. To assist the country in crafting relevant policies on this phenomenon, the fifth APPC became the stage for a critical analysis of the issues surrounding this new phase of growth. Among others, it emphasized the globalization's impact on Philippine trade, environment, public health, equity, social cohesion, and information sharing.


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