The Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), through its Productivity and Development Center (PDC), hosted an online consultation on establishing a Community of Practice (CoP) for Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) practitioners under the Modernizing Government Regulations Program (MGRP) in December 2024. The consultation aimed to foster collaboration by identifying the CoP’s key needs, defining stakeholder roles, outlining initiatives, and setting priorities to ensure its successful launch.
Government Participation
The consultation brought together representatives from 22 key government agencies and local government units, including the Anti-Red Tape Authority, Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan, Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards, Bureau of Quarantine, and the Philippine Ports Authority, among others.
Session Highlights
Director Monica Saliendres, of the DAP-PDC Productivity Development Research Office, opened the session by emphasizing the importance of collaboration in regulatory transformation while MGRP Program Manager Lea Peralta presented the event’s objectives. Division Chief Marietta Umbay, of the DAP- -Human Resource Development Division, delivered a presentation on “Driving Regulatory Transformation through Knowledge Management in the Community of Practice,” highlighting the CoP’s role in enhancing best practices and innovation.
A knowledge-sharing session followed, leading into focused group discussions facilitated by Christian Eparwa, Mary Rose Ann Fariscal, Hanzel Mariano, Annalou Dela Paz, and Coleen De Villa. These discussions centered on the needs, expectations, and challenges of RIA practitioners, as well as potential CoP structures. These breakout sessions allowed participants to provide valuable input on how the CoP could best support their work.
Key Takeaways
Participants underscored the need for a CoP to serve as a platform for continuous learning, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration. Key discussion points included challenges in RIA implementation, such as limited personnel and gaps in specialized training, which led to calls for continuous learning and expanded staffing. Proposals for a comprehensive data library and improved data collection training were also presented to address the challenge on reliable data access.. Streamlining RIA through stakeholder engagement and conflict resolution was emphasized to balance diverse interests. A Community of Practice (CoP) was proposed to decentralize expertise, enhance collaboration, and ensure continuous learning. Stronger inter-agency coordination, joint policies, and benchmarking were recommended to improve regulatory processes, while senior officials’ active involvement and formal mechanisms, such as MOUs and operational manuals, were suggested to institutionalize RIA. Digital solutions, including dashboards and online resources, were highlighted to improve transparency and efficiency. To enhance participation and collaboration, hybrid events, sector-based meetings, and social media platforms were proposed.
Next Steps
The CoP’s development will be guided by principles of collaboration, engagement, and shared goals. Based on consultation feedback, an initial roadmap will be crafted, alongside a draft framework detailing membership mechanisms, activities, and platforms. Pilot initiatives, including knowledge-sharing sessions and workshops, will introduce the CoP’s value to stakeholders.
For more information on the Modernizing Government Regulations Program, visit www.dap.edu.ph or contact the MGRP team at mgr@dap.edu.ph.