Photo by Regine Recede.
Leonor Briones, current Professor Emeritus of Public Administration at the University of the Philippines Diliman, was in the University today as the key speaker for NahuliDAP ang Pork, a multi-sectoral forum about good governance held at the Finster Auditorium this afternoon.
Briones, also the former National Treasurer and Presidential Adviser for Social Development, focused on public accountability and transparency as ways of better governing the Philippines. She also tackled the loopholes of the previous and the current government systems that ruled the country, zeroing in on the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP).
“I believe that there are alternatives other than DAP,” Briones said.
She added that she was happy to be invited to speak so that she could update the people concerning the current activities of the government.
“It is good to occasionally keep an eye on our servant’s quarter,” she added.
The forum was organized by the University Community Engagement and Advocacy Council (UCEAC), the University’s arm for the continuing education and learning regarding good governance.
“Ang overall goal is for us to be updated about what happened since then, since PDAF, since DAP, since the different mobilizations we participated,” said Atty. Romeo T. Cabarde, Jr., Chairperson of the UCEAC.
Four people were also invited to deliver their responses to the issue at hand. These were Prof. Andrea Ragario from UP Mindanao, Atty. Marco Buena, OIC of the Evaluation and Investigation Bureau, Mr. Regel Asuero, Samahan president, and Mr. Leonides Ilagan from Pagbabago! People’s Movement for Change. Each were given five minutes to respond.
‘Even on the level of student government, they should promote public accountability and transparency’ Asuero said in his reply.
Briones ended the forum by stating that the hope for the youth relies on the adults.
“They say that the youth are the hope of the fatherland. But, what are we, adults, giving them? What will the youth inherit from us?” Briones remarked.