The Development Academy of the Philippines, through its Graduate School of Public and Development Management, formally concluded the third batch of the Certificate Course on National and International Security (CCNIS) in a virtual closing ceremony held via Zoom on July 25, 2025.

The course equipped 35 dynamic professionals of diverse backgrounds and expertise from various sectors with the knowledge and analytical tools to understand and address today’s complex security issues and challenges. 

In his message, Dr. Chester B. Cabalza, Faculty-in-Charge of the course, emphasized that “security is about the people and for the people.” He urged the participants to turn their learning into a purposeful commitment to contribute to a safer society.

Representing his CCNIS Batch 3 Class, Mr. Rommel G. Dela Rosa, a Political Affairs Officer of the United Nations Secretariat, shared insights on their transformative academic journey. He encouraged his fellow participants to bring their learnings to their respective fields and communities, with a vision of becoming thought leaders in national and international security. A key takeaway was the shift in discussions on security to a more human-centered perspective. He described how the knowledge gained was applied in creating Policy Briefs on relevant topics, including border security, climate change, and biosecurity, stressing the need to account for political realities for effective solutions. 

The ceremony featured the awarding of Certificates of Completion and recognized the Best Policy Brief titled “Strengthening Biosafety and Biosecurity in the Philippines: A Unified Framework for Emerging Biological Risks.”

In her message, Dr. Lizan E. Perante-Calina, Dean of the DAP-GSPDM, congratulated the participants and encouraged them to apply the insights they gained to help address the country’s complex and evolving security landscape.

The Certificate Course on National and International Security is implemented by the GSPDM-Security Governance and Diplomacy Cluster (SGDC).  It affirms DAP’s continuing commitment to developing professionals in the security sector through responsive and high-quality education.