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ISA Founder shares governance wins, challenges at the 5th Arangkada Forum

Earlier this week on March 1, 2016, Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA) Chairman Emeritus Jess Estanislao took part in the 5th Arangkada forum, themed “A Bolder and More Inclusive Decade.” Together with experts from different sectors, he shared his thoughts on possible reforms for a more sustainable Philippine economy in the next decade. The event, hosted by the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines, was held at the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Pasay City.

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The forum gathered experts from different sectors to talk about possible reforms in achieving a more sustainable Philippines.

Estanislao participated in the panel on “Minimizing Bureaucracy, Maximizing Governance”, along with other notable speakers such as Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, Commission on Audit Chairperson Michael Aguinaldo, Makati Business Club Chairman and Integrity Initiative Steering Committee Chair Ramon del Rosario Jr., and Transparency and Accountability Network Executive Director Vincent Lazatin. The panel was moderated by Rappler.com CEO and Executive Director Maria Ressa.

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Jess Estanislao shares tried and tested governance practices at the 6th panel discussion.

Speaking from experience, Estanislao cited the tried and tested Performance Governance System as a way to maximize governance. He shared that its results could be confirmed through independent audit, and sustained if key stakeholders worked together to affect a change in attitudes and mind set. He also spoke about challenges to keeping partner public sector institutions and their stakeholders involved, and scaling up the governance reform movement in the Philippines. Estanislao ended by mentioning the need to work on governance issues in one city and one institution at a time in order to cover the whole Philippine archipelago, and then share experiences with other ASEAN countries in order to have a larger influence in the long run.

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Panelists with AmCham Senior Advisor John Forbes (rightmost) and panel moderator Maria Ressa (leftmost) after their discussion on governance reforms.

He is due to release a book on these experiences, featuring the 12 Philippine public sector institutions recognized last year by ISA as the country’s first ‘Islands of Good Governance’ (IGG), close to the national election period in May 2016.

Photos courtesy of Arangkada Philippines. Find out more about them by visiting their Facebook page.

To contact the writer of this story, send an email to Kirsten Ramos at [email protected].[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]