Once again, the PIDS successfully led this year's observance of the 5th Development Policy Research Month (DPRM). The DPRM, which was initiated primarily to promote policy research and the critical role it plays in decisionmaking, provides the perfect opportunity for government and the academe to engage in meaningful exchange of ideas and sharing of best practices with local government stakeholders who hold the key to development in the countryside.
Taking off from the previous year's focus on local governance, the DPRM offered tools, apart from the usual lectures, that local officials can use to better plan and effectively implement their respective development programs. As discussed lengthily in this issue's banner article, the framework for regional and local development being proposed offers a systematic way of looking at the various aspects of development given the growing contribution of nonfarm income in our economy.
