Aimed at fortifying its public administration and cultural programs, the College of Public Administration has successfully organized and hosted its inaugural two-day convention at the UNP Auditorium and Hostel on May 29-30, 2024.

Themed “Panangilala ken Panagipateg: Future-Proofing our Heritage with Anticipatory Governance,” the event marked a significant milestone in the College’s endeavors as part of its year-long tenth anniversary celebration and in time for the Heritage Month.

The convention was attended by second- and third-year students of the Bachelor of Public Administration program, as well as the writers of student publications in the University. It featured speakers who are experts in public administration, cultural heritage, and Ilokano literature.

On the first day, Dr. Ferdinand J. Lamarca, a former administrator of both CPAd and UNP and a pillar of public administration in the University, shared talked about “Trends, Issues, and Challenges in Public Administration.”

On the other hand, Ms. Maria Lourdes I. Ingel, an anthropologist, active cultural worker in the province, and administrative officer at the National Museum of the Philippines-Ilocos, discussed “Risk Management and Conservation of Tangible Cultural Heritage.”

Likewise, Dr. Marie Rose Q. Rabang, an advocate of culture-based governance and former dean of CAS and CPAd who, together with Dr. Lamarca, worked on the offering of the Master of Public Administration major in Culture-Based Governance, delivered a lecture on the topic “Safeguarding our Intangible Heritage.”

The momentum continued into the second day of the convention, which invited participants from the student publications of the various colleges in the University. Mr. Eliseo Contillo, a prominent Ilokano writer affiliated with the Gunglo dagiti Mannurat nga Ilokano (GUMIL Filipinas), provided an opportunity for the participants to learn writing techniques using the Ilokano language.

The convention provided a platform for knowledge dissemination and fostered a deeper understanding of the intersection between public administration and cultural heritage preservation.

Article by Marianne Perez. Photo by Joel Tipon.