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DSPPP-Led Delegation Highlights Data Science and Policy Research at Lien International Conference 2025 in Singapore

Nineteen Filipino scholars took center stage at the 2025 Lien International Conference in Singapore, held on July 21–22, 2025 at the Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium, National Gallery Singapore, and at The ARC, Nanyang Technological University. Led by Dr. Ebinezer R. Florano, Convenor of the Data Science for Public Policy Program of the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies, the delegation shared cutting-edge research on governance, resilience, and Data Science applications for public policy.

The Filipino delegation represented a broad mix of institutions, combining the strength of the University of the Philippines (Diliman and Los Baños), Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology, and De La Salle University, along with experts from the Senate Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office and independent Philippine research practitioners.

Their presentations reflected a rich set of themes and topics: climate and environmental resilience through time-series and smart city analyses; the use of artificial intelligence and data science in policymaking, financial management, transport reforms, and legal governance; cultural analytics for anti-discrimination policy; social media and text-mining applications for governance; and digital transformation initiatives for improved public services and inclusive development. Collectively, the papers showcased how Filipino scholars are applying data-driven and AI-informed approaches to address pressing governance challenges in climate change, urban management, public administration, cultural inclusion, and digital governance

Notably, several of these Filipino presenters are also contributors to the forthcoming volume Data Science for Public Policy in the Philippines: Navigating Turbulent Times, a collective work that explores the role of data science and explainable AI in policymaking. This is one of the publications being prepared by the DSPPP for 2025.

The Lien International Conference is a premier global forum that brings together scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to discuss critical issues in governance, resilience, and innovation. Held in Singapore, the 2025 edition focused on how governance structures can balance resilience, inclusivity, and technological transformation in an increasingly turbulent world. The conference is hosted by the Nanyang Centre for Public Administration (NCPA) of Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, a leading institution in Asia specializing in public governance and administration.

The following were the compositions of the four all-Filipino panels:

Building Institutional and Environmental Resilience through Policy Innovation

From left to right: Jonathan B. Mamplata, Joselito M. Ebro, Jr., Marco Angelo S. Zaplan, Louie Ayade, and Rogelio Alicor L. Panao (chair)

Chair: Rogelio Alicor L. Panao (UP Diliman)

    • Jonathan B. Mamplata, Diane Carmeliza N. Cuaresma & Kemuel III M. Quindala (UP Los Baños) – Time Series Analysis for Climate Data
    • Marco Angelo S. Zaplan (UP Diliman) – Governing Mining with Unsupervised Learning: A K-Means Clustering Analysis of Government Audit Scores of Philippine Mining Companies
    • Joselito M. Ebro, Jr. (UP Diliman) – Analyzing Social Media Comments for Improved EDSA Traffic Management
    • Ronald Pernia & Rogelio Alicor L. Panao (UP Diliman) – Service to the People? Mapping and Measuring the University of the Philippines’ Impact on the Philippine Policy Process
    • Louie Ayade, Charlyn Capulong, Maria Rizalia Teves, Martha Joy Abing & Gerrich Babanto (MSU–Iligan Institute of Technology) – Does the ASEAN Smart Cities Network Promote Climate Resilience? Mechanism and Evidence using Difference-in-Differences in the Philippines

Steering Artificial Intelligence Responsibly: Global, National, and Local Perspectives

From left to right: Ebinezer R. Florano (chair), Aubrey Cazzandra C. Antonio, Krizelle Andie S. Camino, Lauren Camille M. Ramos, Mariecon B. Aranda-Esguerra, Senando Angelo R. Santiago, and Jason P. Alinsunurin

Chair: Ebinezer R. Florano (UP Diliman)

    • Ebinezer R. Florano & Raphael Justin C. Portuguez (UP Diliman) – Towards “AI-Informed, Human-Directed” Policymaking: An Experiment Using Generative AI
    • Aubrey Cazzandra C. Antonio, Krizelle Andie S. Camino & Lauren Camille M. Ramos (Philippines) – State Adoption to Latest Technologies: Examining the DTI’s National Strategy Roadmap on Artificial Intelligence
    • Mariecon B. Aranda-Esguerra (Legislative Budget Research and Monitoring Office, Senate of the Philippines) – Evaluating New Public Management Principles and AI Integration: A Comparative Analysis of ChatGPT-assisted and Traditional Memorandum Drafting by Civil Servants in Selected NGAs of the Philippines
    • Jason P. Alinsunurin (De La Salle University) – Shaping the Future of Public Services: A Scoping Review of Citizen–Agency Collaboration in the Age of Digital Governance
    • Senando Angelo R. Santiago (UP Diliman) – Key Legal Considerations for Data Science in the Philippines: Data from the Lens of Intellectual Property, Data Privacy, and Cybercrime Prevention Laws

Reimagining Governance and Inclusion through Digital Transformation

From left to right: Noriel Christopher C. Tiglao, Dara Janelle V. Eoy, Pamela Cunanan, Jeric S. Alcala, and Jonathan B. Mamplata (chair)

Chair: Jonathan B. Mamplata (UP Los Baños)

    • Jonathan B. Mamplata & Jeric S. Alcala (UP Los Baños) – Data to Decisions: Predictive Analytics for Financial Forecasting and Risk Management
    • Jeric S. Alcala (UP Diliman) – Data to Decisions: Predictive Analytics for Financial Forecasting and Risk Management
    • Dara Janelle V. Eoy (UP Diliman) – An Anthropological Assessment of the Baguio Smart City Framework
    • Noriel Christopher C. Tiglao (UP Diliman) – Collaborative Governance, Digital Co-Production, and Big Data Analytics for Sustainable Public Transport Reforms in the Philippines
    • Pamela Cunanan, Erris Sanciangco (SafeTravelPH) & Noriel Christopher Tiglao (UP Diliman) – Reconstructing Trips Outside the Jeep: A Scalable Informal Transit Trip Characterization Method Using Modern Jeepney Telematics

Cultural Governance and the Struggle for Inclusive Societies

From left to right (top): Maria Margarita R. Lavides (chair), and Fernan Dayson C. Manahan From left to right (bottom): Nicamil Sanchez, and Julieta Amante delos Reyes (with former Singapore State Minister Zainul Abidin Rasheed, who earnestly watched the four presentations in Panel 2D).

Chair: Maria Margarita R. Lavides (UP)

    • Maria Margarita R. Lavides, Vladimer Kobayashi, Cristabel Tiangco, Purisima Panlilio, Remi De Leon & Angela Carreon (UP) – Cultural Analytics as Foundation in Developing Anti-Discrimination Policies
    • Fernan Dayson C. Manahan (UP Diliman) – Text-Mining Techniques to Identify Ageist Online Job Ads in the Philippines
    • Nicamil Sanchez, Macaraig Imelda & Florante Delos Santos (Philippine Consortium Inc., St. Mary’s College QC & University of Makati) – Analyzing the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of the First 3 Years of Duterte and Marcos Administrations Using Nvivo 15
    • Julieta Amante Delos Reyes, Abigail Tolentino Lat, Lady Litz Aquino, Jennifer Cruz Padrid, Neil Christian Sanjorjo, Vilma Lapitan Romanillos (UP Los Baños) – Mapping the Vegetable Farmers’ Digital Readiness and Willingness to Adopt Digital Marketing: The Case of Cavite and Quezon Provinces