Last October 29, the La Salle Institute of Governance, in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and Galing Pook foundation held the last of the two-part Online Knowledge Forum on Adaptive and Resilient Governance during Health Crisis Situations, which aimed to spur discussions on how key stakeholders in governance such as the local and national governments can reorient and rethink existing systems to address complex problems like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Attended by over 400 participants coming from various sectors such as the local government units and civil society, the forum focused on how local government units can adapt to broader governance challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Dr. Sherwin Ona and Dr. Ma. Divina Gracia Roldan, both from the De La Salle University Political Science Department opened the discussion by presenting respectively the state of digital transformation in the Philippines and how to deal with the reintegration of Overseas Filipino Workers who have been displaced by the current pandemic. It was followed by a presentation of Mr. Austere Panadero, Executive Director of Zuellig Family Foundation on how we can address issues and concerns surrounding nutrition. Finally, Mr. Jess Lorenzo, Executive Director of SEAOIL foundation capped off the series of presentations by sharing some insights on how local governments can develop systems and initiatives toward attaining food secure communities.