The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) congratulates Hon. Arsenio M. Balisacan on his confirmation as Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and NEDA Director General by the bicameral Commission on Appointments. Secretary Balisacan is also the Chair of the Board of Trustees of PIDS.
President Benigno Aquino III appointed then UP School of Economics Dean Balisacan in May 2012 to replace Cayetano Paderanga who resigned for health reasons.
Basilacan was an expert adviser to nongovernmental organizations and institutions such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and United Nations in the areas of poverty, food security, agricultural and rural development, human development, impact assessment, and governance.
He was agriculture undersecretary from 2000 to 2001 and director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture from 2003 to 2009.
Balisacan was also adjunct professor of the Australian National University, and executive director of the Philippine Center for Economic Development.
Basilacan graduated magna cum laude from the Mariano Marcos State University. He earned his master’s degree from the University of the Philippines in Los Baños and his doctorate from the University of Hawaii.
PIDS congratulates NEDA Chief Balisacan
