Ateneo Policy Center

Background

For twenty years, the Ateneo School of Government (ASoG) has built a reputation in promoting good governance and developing key institutions. The School’s programs have made significant contributions in advancing the discussion for policy reforms and innovative solutions that strengthen key democratic institutions like elections, political parties, legislature, bureaucracy, and accountability institutions.

In 2017, the School expanded its work to tackle the economic and social dimensions of political inequality and explore how it continues to be a major barrier to sustained policy reforms and development. Hence, the establishment of Ateneo Policy Center (APC) which serves as the research and public policy unit of ASoG. APC is an independent think tank organization that speaks truth to power by producing cutting-edge research, initiates evidence-based discussions responsive to emerging social, political, and economic issues, and advances nation-building efforts by forging partnerships with both the public and the private sectors to support policy reforms.

Mission and Vision

With its partners, the Ateneo Policy Center strives for a prosperous and empowered Philippines by supporting Filipinos to become informed through cutting-edge research, engaged through policy discussions, and be advocates of policy reforms towards nation building.

The Ateneo Policy Center aims to cultivate its vision by:

Producing research and academic outputs (e.g. peer-reviewed journal articles, books, policy notes, and teaching materials) that will strengthen the School’s thought leadership and influence in policymaking.
Working with policymakers and different internal and external stakeholders by providing technical assistance and a platform for evidence-based discourse on selected social, political, and economic issues.
Supporting policy reforms through mobilizing funds and developing partnerships that will translate the Center’s research agenda.

Promoting Good Governance and Strong Institutions

Poor governance and weak public institutions constrain most policies that promote inclusive development. As noted in the Ambisyon Natin 2040, the country’s long-term vision for development planning, most Filipinos aspire for efficient government transactions, affordable government services, and elimination of corruption. As illustrated in Figure 1 below, these objectives are hinged on a government and markets that are functioning well altogether. The idea behind this theory of change is that long-term goals are defined first and then the necessary conditions to support these goals are mapped to the present institutional landscape.

A defined goal such as poverty reduction and inclusive development requires a rebalancing of the economy from low productivity to high productivity not just across all sectors (e.g. agriculture, services, manufacturing, etc.) but also within the sectors. In order to do this, you need to invest in the country’s human capital and implement an effective social protection system that protects and empowers the poor. Underpinning these policies are strong institutions and good governance.

Guided by this framework the Ateneo Policy Center’s research agenda currently focuses on three main areas.

POLICY RESEARCH PROJECTS & PROGRAMS

As part of the strategic engagement in advancing policy reforms, ASoG established the Ateneo Policy Center in 2017. The Ateneo Policy Center is a think tank that serves as the research and public policy unit of the School. The Center is tasked to respond to emerging political, economic, and social issues by producing cutting-edge policy research, providing technical assistance to public and private sector actors engaged in reforms, and hosting evidence-based policy discussions to support political, economic, and social reforms.