From June 10 to 14, GRIPS conducted a five-day training program for a group of legislative staff headed by Congresswoman Ms. Maria Carmen S. Zamora from the Philippines. The group consisted of 39 participants from the House of Senator, House of Representatives, Office of Senator Legarda and Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP).

Following last year’s successful program, it was arranged upon a request from DAP. The purpose of the program was to sharpen their knowledge on the new trends and competencies required for public sector leaders as well as to understand the legislative process of Japan. The participants attended the lectures given by GRIPS professors and also visited Secretariat of the House of Representatives as well as Mitaka City.

On the first day of program, the group visited the National Diet and had a meeting with the Secretariat of House of Representatives (HoR). Mr. Kenji Okada, Deputy Secretary General welcomed the group and the officers of HoR presented the briefings on “Plenary Sittings”, “Deliberative Process of Bills and the Budget”, “Role of Research Bureau of HoR” and “Role of the Secretariat”.   In addition, participants presented the leslative procedure of the Philippines and exchange the opinions with HoR staff.  Participants could understand and compare the different approaches and challenges of the legislative process of the Philippines and Japan.

Participants visited Mitaka City to study the collaboration projects organized by citizen, private sectors and the city. They actually participated in some activities, which was a valuable experience.

At GRIPS, lectures on “Leadership” were given by Prof. Masahiro Horie (Professor Emeritus) and Prof. Ayano Nishihara (Associate Professor, Rikkyo University) from different perspectives.  Participants also attended the lectures on “Intergovernmental Relations of the National and Local Government” given by Prof. Hirofumi Takada, “Japan’s Electoral System and Party Politics Instability within Stability” by Prof. Mikitaka Masuyama (Vice-President of GRIPS) and “The Japanese Diet and the Japanese Parliamentary System” by Prof. Harukata Takenaka.

On the final day of the program, a wrap-up session was organized by Prof.  Kiyotaka Yokomichi (Vice-President of GRIPS). Participants reviewed the program and presented what they have gained from the training, and how to apply it to real situations when they back to work.  Participants received the Certificate of Completion from Prof. Yokomichi to end the program.