25 years of open access: How SERP-P connects research, dialogue, and policy
The Socioeconomic Research Portal for the Philippines (SERP-P)—the country’s first and largest electronic repository of policy studies—marked its 25th anniversary on December 2–3, 2025. More than a celebration of longevity, this milestone reflects SERP-P’s steady evolution in response to the changing needs of researchers, policymakers, and the public.
Established in 2000 under the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), SERP-P was created at a time when access to local policy research was limited and often confined to physical libraries. The portal was envisioned as a public good—an open-access platform where policy-relevant research could be easily discovered, shared, and used. Twenty-five years later, that vision has expanded, as SERP-P now houses close to 11,000 publications, with over 1,000 new studies uploaded in 2025 alone.
Anchored on the theme “25 Years of Open Access: Advancing Policy Research for Transparent Governance,” this year’s celebration brought together four major activities: the 11th Knowledge-Sharing Forum, the first-ever Roundtable Discussion on Public Budget Accountability, the SERP-P Annual Network Meeting, and the launch of the Policy Research Advocacy Workshop—SERP-P’s newest offering for its network members.
Growing demand for accessible policy research
Over the past 25 years, SERP-P has grown into a trusted source of policy research in the Philippines. What began as a small digital collection in the early 2000s has expanded year after year through contributions from research institutions, government agencies, and development partners. Data from the portal show a clear upward trend in the number of studies added, with particularly strong growth from 2020 onward, and 2025 marking the highest number of new publications to date.
This steady increase reflects more than just the longevity of the platform. It points to a growing public demand for research that is easy to access, locally grounded, and relevant to real policy and development issues.
The figure below illustrates how SERP-P’s growth has been shaped by its expanding network of partner institutions. In its early years, the portal mainly featured publications from PIDS and the University of the Philippines School of Economics. Over time, sustained networking and partnership-building efforts opened the platform to a broader range of contributors nationwide. As more universities, government agencies, and research organizations joined the SERP-P network, contributions steadily increased—resulting in a sharp rise in new publications in recent years.
This trend reflects a shared commitment among SERP-P partner-institutions to make policy research openly accessible, ensuring that knowledge produced using public resources can meaningfully serve the public good.
A community behind the platform
SERP-P’s continued growth has been shaped by a strong and committed community of contributors and users. As the portal marked its 25th year, PIDS President Philip Arnold P. Tuaño, PhD, underscored this collective effort in his opening message.
"As we celebrate SERP-P’s 25th year, we honor not just the online platform, but a community—researchers, scholars, civil servants, and advocates who believe that open access is essential to transparency, accountability, and good governance," he said.
While hosted by PIDS, SERP-P thrives through collaboration with its network members. Partner institutions actively contribute research, promote open access, and help ensure that policy studies reach wider audiences. “Our combined efforts have driven SERP-P’s continued growth and relevance,” said Project Director Melinda Quiñones, highlighting the shared ownership that sustains the program.
Today, the SERP-P network is composed of 73 partner institutions committed to advancing open-access policy research in the country. In 2025, seven new institutions joined the network: Benguet State University, the UP Center for Women’s and Gender Studies, WeSolve Foundation, Bukidnon State University, Camarines Norte State College, and the United Nations Population Fund. Their inclusion reflects SERP-P’s expanding reach and responsiveness to emerging research and policy priorities nationwide.
Beyond storage: responding to the needs of users
As SERP-P’s collection grew, so did expectations from its users. Researchers, policymakers, and decision-makers did not only need access to studies; they needed spaces to interpret evidence, discuss implications, and connect research to real-world policy challenges. In response, SERP-P deliberately expanded its role from a passive repository to an active knowledge-sharing platform. Since 2023, the program has organized a series of hybrid knowledge-sharing forums in collaboration with its network members. These forums—conducted both online and onsite—created accessible spaces for dialogue on pressing development issues.
Topics discussed in 2025 alone included gender and development, education governance, and public financial transparency and accountability. To date, SERP-P has convened 11 hybrid forums, bringing together researchers, policymakers, development practitioners, and the public. These gatherings reflect a shift in orientation: research is not only archived but actively translated into conversations that inform policy and practice.
SERP-P marked another milestone with the launch of its first-ever Roundtable Discussions (RTDs). Designed as focused, high-level platforms, RTDs aim to facilitate upfront and in-depth conversations on complex policy and social issues—particularly those that require cross-sectoral perspectives and institutional accountability.
The inaugural RTD on Public Finance Accountability brought together former Commission on Audit Commissioner Heidi Mendoza, Department of Education Undersecretary Ronald Mendoza, and Asian Institute of Management Professor Emeritus Edilberto De Jesus. The discussion examined long-standing challenges in fiscal transparency, governance, and accountability, grounding the conversation in evidence while drawing from the practical experience of senior decision-makers and reform advocates.
By convening these dialogues, SERP-P reinforces its mission to connect evidence to governance—not just by prescribing solutions but by enabling informed, constructive discourse among those who shape and influence public policy.
Beyond a repository: SERP-P strengthens support for the research community
Recognizing that evidence must be communicated effectively to make an impact, SERP-P also launched the Policy Research Advocacy Workshop during its anniversary activities. The workshop was designed to help researchers strengthen their ability to translate technical findings into clear policy messages and advocacy strategies.
Drawing from PIDS’ institutional experience in policy research advocacy, the workshop featured insights from the current PIDS President and case examples such as the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS), presented by former PIDS President Dr. Celia M. Reyes. The sessions emphasized that research impact does not end with publication—it requires communication, engagement, and sustained interaction with stakeholders.
PIDS Senior Research Fellow Dr. JP Rivera discussed practical strategies for institutions to champion policy research within their organizations, while UP National College of Public Administration and Governance Associate Professor Simeon Ilago provided an overview of the policy cycle and local development planning process. Together, these sessions equipped participants with a clearer understanding of how research findings can be integrated into governance and decision-making.
This pilot initiative responds directly to feedback from network members seeking guidance on making their work more accessible and policy-relevant—further reinforcing SERP-P’s evolving role as a support system for the research community.
A Year of Growing Impact and Engagement
Quiñones also reported notable growth in website visits and downloads in 2025—reflecting the public’s rising demand for accessible, research-based information. She also highlighted stronger collaborations with network institutions, including the first-ever co-organized activities for the Development Policy Research Month, marking a new chapter in SERP-P’s engagement efforts.
Recognizing network contributions, the celebration concluded with the recognition of network members who made significant contributions throughout the year. The UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies emerged as the top contributor, followed by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Congressional Policy and Budget Research Department. Other recognized contributors included regional offices of the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development in Regions 5, 11, 1, and 9; the University of the Philippines School of Urban and Regional Planning; the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture; and Davao Oriental State University.
SERP-P also honored the Development Academy of the Philippines and the UPLB Center for Strategic Planning and Policy Studies for outstanding collaboration and commitment to knowledge sharing. The National Tax Research Center received the Excellence in User Support and Responsiveness Award for consistently providing timely expert assistance to SERP-P users, particularly in responding to technical inquiries and facilitating access to specialized publications.
Looking ahead: open access as a public commitment
As SERP-P enters its next chapter, its direction is clear. Anchored in PIDS’ long-standing commitment to open access and evidence-based policymaking, the network will continue to evolve in response to emerging policy challenges and user needs. From expanding dialogues and capacity-building programs to strengthening partnerships and digital access, SERP-P remains focused on one goal: ensuring that rigorous, locally produced research is accessible, understandable, and usable.
After 25 years, SERP-P stands not only as a digital library but as a platform that connects research with dialogue and policy—supporting transparency and reinforcing open access as a cornerstone of evidence-based policymaking in the Philippines.