If the Philippines wants to sustain its economic growth in the past years, it should be able to keep up with the age of disruptive technologies or the so-called “Fourth Industrial Revolution (FIRe)”, also known as Industry 4.0.
This topic will be highlighted during the observance of the 16th Development Policy Research Month (DPRM) in the country this September. Led by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), pursuant to Malacanang Proclamation 247 signed in 2002, the DPRM is an annual nationwide celebration that aims to emphasize the role of evidence-based research in government’s policymaking.
This year’s theme is “Harnessing the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Creating Our Future Today” or “Isulong ang Fourth Industrial Revolution Tungo sa Katuparan ng Ating Kinabukasan Ngayon”.
It aims to shed light on the potential impacts of automation and other innovations in science and technology and how Filipinos can harness these to the country’s advantage, not only in terms of improving economic competitiveness but also in making progress both sustainable and inclusive.
Media roadshows
“PIDS hopes to draw the interest of policymakers about the FIRe and influence them to prioritize this in the national agenda through this month-long celebration,” PIDS President Celia Reyes said.
To mark the beginning of the DPRM celebration, a press conference will be held on September 4, 2018, in Quezon City. This will be led by PIDS executives and research experts, officials of partner government agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and representatives of the business sector and civil society.
A regional press conference will be conducted in Cagayan de Oro City on September 11, 2018, as part of the Fourth Mindanao Policy Research Forum, an annual activity jointly organized by PIDS and Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA). This year’s PIDS-MinDA forum is in partnership with the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines.
Furthermore, representatives from the media are also invited to attend the Fourth Annual Public Policy Conference on September 19, 2018, at Edsa Shangri-La Manila in Mandaluyong City. As the main event of the DPRM, the APPC will gather 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. Also, a one-day exhibit will run alongside the APPC to feature technologies/innovations and videos, as well as publications and knowledge materials of the conference sponsors, which include the DTI, DOLE, DOST, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Commission on Higher Education, 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.
PIDS will also organize a series of television and radio guesting to drum up people’s interest about the FIRe. ###
For more details about this year’s theme and activities, kindly visit the DPRM website at http://dprm.pids.gov.ph/ and the APPC website at https://appc.pids.gov.ph/. For updates, you may also check on PIDS’ social media accounts at https://www.facebook.com/PIDS.PH/ and https://twitter.com/PIDS_PH. Everyone is also encouraged to use the hashtags #DPRM2018 and #APPC2018onFIRe when making comments and messages about these events. ###
