MANILA, FEBRUARY 23, 2012—The World Bank (WB) and the country’s leading think tank, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), have agreed today to collaborate on the dissemination of research and sharing of knowledge on development issues affecting the country.
In a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed today, the WB and PIDS agreed to jointly plan, organize, and facilitate dialogues, roundtable discussions, and consultations with government agencies, academe, media, civil society, private sector and other stakeholders on important policy reform issues in the Philippines.
The two institutions also signed an Online Depository Library agreement designating PIDS as an online resource center for World Bank development information. Under this agreement, walk-in users of the PIDS library would have online access to World Bank’s data, financial information, collection of research and studies related to development issues in the country and the rest of the world.
“Knowledge-sharing and dissemination is part of the PIDS mandate to promote evidence-based policymaking in the country,” said Dr. Josef Yap, President of the PIDS, after the signing. “That is why from the very start, PIDS has always openly made its numerous research and their findings available not only to planners and policymakers but also to the general public, through various schemes, in order to help enlighten the public on development issues and allow them to participate in informed public policy debates.”
“This new partnership with the World Bank – with its very large collection of development studies and information as well as a wide network of collaborators – will enrich the Institute’s engagements with various stakeholders as it further pursues its mandate to strengthen research in development planning and decision-making,” Dr. Yap added.
The PIDS was established on September 26, 1977 to help government planners and policy makers in the executive and legislative branches of the Philippine government develop and implement a comprehensive program for research needed in the formulation of national development plans and policies.
The partnership builds on the Bank’s twin initiatives on accountability and openness: the Access to Information Policy and Open Data Initiative.
Under its Access to Information Policy launched in 2010, the general public can access information on all Bank-supported projects, analytical and administrative activities, and Board proceedings, with an exception of a few, over the Internet. The Open Data Initiative allows individuals and groups access to data sets covering over 7,000 indicators for some 200 countries, thus helping them analyze development trends, and design policy and program options.
“Generating knowledge to address development challenges, sharing it and learning from various stakeholders are a very important part of the World Bank’s work in the country and rest of the world,” said World Bank Country Director Motoo Konishi who signed the MOU for the World Bank. “I am pleased that we will be working together with PIDS, an institution that has done a great deal in responding to the critical and growing need for relevant research, knowledge generation, and policy formulation in the Philippines.”
“Knowledge is vital to the Bank’s mission of supporting country efforts in the fight against poverty. It is key to development effectiveness and the main driver for reforming development institutions,” added Mr. Konishi.
As a World Bank online resource center, PIDS joins the World Bank’s network of knowledge partners composed of learning and policy research institutions in the country.
This network is composed of 11 Knowledge for Development Centers (KDC) located at the World Bank office in Pasig, the House of Representatives in Quezon City, the Asian Institute of Management in Makati, Ateneo de Naga in Naga City, Palawan State University in Puerto Princesa, Saint Paul University in Tuguegarao, University of Southeastern Philippines in Davao, Notre Dame University in Cotabato, University of San Carlos in Cebu, Central Philippine University in Iloilo, and Silliman University in Dumaguete.
Also part of the network are three other World Bank online resource centers (formerly called depository libraries) at the National Economic and Development Authority in Pasig, University of the Philippines School of Economics in Quezon City, and University of the Philippines at Los Baños.
