THE House of Representatives (HRep) on Thursday hosted the Parliament Day, the culminating activity of the 4th Asia Pacific Evaluation Association (APEA) Conference which was organized to raise awareness on the institutionalization of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) for the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Delegates from the United Nations and countries from the Asia Pacific attended the event. Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, who keynoted the event, shared that the Marcos administration’s Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 includes the enactment of the National Evaluation Policy as a priority. “This policy is a testament to our commitment to improving governance quality and promoting efficiency in the bureaucratic process. The House leadership is fully committed to the aspirations of the 4th APEA Conference to institutionalize evidence-based decision making for national development and the SDGs,” he continued.
Pursuant this commitment, Speaker Romualdez led parliamentarians from various Asia Pacific countries as well as APEA and United Nations officials in the ceremonial signing of the Manila Declaration, which articulate the signatories’ pledge to adhere to the following strategies toward deeper societal, political, and organizational institutionalization of M&E in support of the 2030 SDGs.
Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe said that the Parliament Day underscored the role of Congress in institutionalizing M&E and in improving policy making through evaluation, “I am deeply cognizant of the critical need of parliaments for credible, timely, and useful data and information to help us resolve policy issues.”
APEA President Dr. Asela Kalugampitiya noted how the APEA Conference brought together all stakeholders. “The (Philippine) House of Representatives is a model to other countries, showcasing how parliament can take the lead with other stakeholders promoting evaluation.” He also introduced the Manila Declaration to the audience.
House Deputy Secretary-General Dr. Romulo Emmanuel Miral of the Congressional Policy and Budget Research and Development Department (CPBRD) explained that a legislated National Evaluation Policy is important because it 1) creates an impetus for the conduct and use of evaluation in all branches and levels of government, 2) creates common understanding of the goals pursued through evaluation, 3) clarifies mandates and responsibilities in the goals pursued through evaluation, and 5) provides high-level guidance to institutions by outlining best practices, goals and methods. His presentation showed that the House and the Senate filed seven bills during the 18th Congress and another seven bills during the 19th Congress, so far, on National Integrated Results-Based M&E Policy and System.
APEA Vice President Prof. Keiko Nishino commended the HRep, led by Speaker Romualdez for hosting this “wonderful Parliament Day.”
APEA delegates toured the House session hall in the afternoon.
