Welcome Remarks at the Launching of PhilFutures and PSPA Webinar Series
by PhilFutures President Dr. Lizan E. Perante-Calina
June 19, 2020
In the hopes to inculcate a futures thinking mindset, we are pleased to share with you an initiative driven by the idea of transforming past and present undertakings into narratives of the future.
The 21st century era has introduced unprecedented and unparalleled events that shaken many jurisdictions around the world. And of course, Philippines is not an exemption.
My dear friends and colleagues and to our esteemed resource persons, good afternoon and happy birthday, Dr. Jose Rizal, our national hero!
With so much uncertainties faced by both the public and private sectors, it is just apropos that we must respond to opportunities and possibilities anchored on evidence-based, high leverage, high powered and effective policies in order to be relevant.
Thus the creation of the Philippine Futures Thinking Society, a professional organization. The PhilFutures is here to provide a platform to advance our skills using theories and practice as bases in shaping future development through the lens of Futures Thinking.
As we always say, we cannot predict our future but we can forecast it by using alternative scenarios and probabilities. The “what ifs” and the “unknowns”
This afternoon, as we launch PhilFutures, we are honored as we are joined by Global Futures Thinking Experts who are also members of PhilFutures Global Advisory Board (introduce them based on the Power Point Presentation). We are indeed honored. Thank you for accepting our invitation to promote Futures Thinking Literacy in the Philippines.
PhilFutures started as a dream to answer that big “H” or the “How” – how are we going to shape our future in the next 10 years or so in education, in public health, in governance and in other areas of development. This is a bit ambitious but applying the inter-generational responsibility doctrine, we have or we should do it now! We don’t merely set targets we actualize them. And with this, we must equip ourselves with both soft and hard skills. It is high time that we focus our energies in reskilling and upskilling ourselves. However, it is of utmost importance to embed ethical, and personal competencies. This where PhilFutures steps in!
Allow me then to acknowledge our founding institutional partners – the Philippine Society for Public Administration, the Graduate School of Public and Development Management, Development Academy of the Philippines, Center for Leadership, Citizenship and Civil Society and Democracy, University of the Philippines, National College of Public Administration, College of Continuing, Advanced and Professional Studies, University of Makati, Senate Committee on SDGs, Innovation, & Futures Thinking and Center for Engaged Foresight.