*MANDALUYONG CITY, Philippines — September 17, 2026* — The *12th Annual Public Policy Conference (APPC)* opened today, September 17, 2026, at the *Grand Ballroom of The Westin Manila Hotel, Mandaluyong City*, with a strong call to overhaul the country's economic institutions to build stronger, more inclusive human capital.
Carrying the theme *"Reshaping Economic Institutions for Transformational Partnerships in Human Capital Development,"* the conference gathered over 600 participants including national government officials, economists, private sector leaders, academe, youth representatives, and development partners.
The APPC is the flagship conference of the *Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS)*, organized this year in partnership with the *Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev)* and the *National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Regional Offices*.
*From Infrastructure to People*
In his keynote address at The Westin Manila, DEPDev Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said the Philippines is at an inflection point where economic growth must be driven not just by infrastructure and foreign investments, but by people.
"For years, we invested heavily in Build, Build, Build. Now we must invest in People, People, People. Our economic institutions — DepEd, CHED, TESDA, DOH, DOLE — were built to work in silos. The 12th APPC challenges us to reshape them into one ecosystem that produces healthy, skilled, and adaptable Filipinos," Balisacan told delegates.
PIDS President Dr. Philip Arnold P. Tuaño echoed the urgency, citing that the Philippines faces a triple challenge: learning poverty, skills mismatch, and an aging workforce that remains unsupported in midlife transitions.
"Human capital is not just about the youth. It is about the 45-year-old woman reskilling, the PWD who needs mobility to work, the senior citizen who still wants to contribute. If our institutions are not inclusive, our growth is not sustainable," Tuaño said.
*Highlights at The Westin Manila*
The one-day conference at Mandaluyong featured four high-level plenary sessions:
*1. Plenary 1: Reimagining Education Institutions*
Panelists from DepEd, CHED, TESDA, and PBEd discussed the proposed Philippine Skills Framework that will integrate senior high school, technical-vocational, and higher education tracks to address the 40% skills mismatch reported by employers.
*2. Plenary 2: Health as Human Capital*
DOH and PhilHealth presented reforms to shift from curative to preventive and workplace-based health systems, including nutrition, mental health, and menopause-friendly workplace policies.
*3. Plenary 3: Transformational Partnerships in Action*
Industry leaders from IT-BPM, construction, and creative industries shared models of co-designed curricula, dual training systems, and industry-funded scholarship programs that guarantee employment.
*4. Plenary 4: Financing Human Capital*
The Department of Finance and PAGCOR discussed innovative financing, including the proposed Skills Futures Fund and expanded use of PAGCOR's social responsibility fund for human capital programs like wheelchairs-for-livelihood and assistive devices.
A key moment of the conference was the launch of the *APPC 2026 Policy Agenda* which recommends:
- Creation of a *National Human Capital Coordinating Council*
- Establishment of *Regional Human Capital Innovation Hubs* in partnership with LGUs and the private sector
- Mandatory *Lifelong Learning Credits* for workers aged 40 and above
The conference concluded with a commitment signing between PIDS, DEPDev, private sector partners, and civil society groups to pursue transformational partnerships beyond 2026.
The full proceedings and research papers from the 12th APPC held at The Westin Manila Hotel, Mandaluyong City will be available at http://www.pids.gov.ph starting September 20, 2026.
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