The Philippine Institute for Development (PIDS) marked a leadership transition as Dr. Aniceto “Babes” C. Orbeta Jr. concludes his tenure as president after nearly four years of service in the role and more than three decades at the Institute. Succeeding him is governance and public policy expert Dr. Philip Arnold “Randy” P. Tuaño, former dean of the Ateneo School of Government (ASOG).
Dr. Orbeta served as PIDS president from August 2, 2021 to June 24, 2025, leading the Institute during a time of digital transformation, post-pandemic recovery research, and renewed emphasis on data use in policymaking.
“I was hoping to retire as an analyst,” Orbeta told staff at the June 23 turnover. “But God—and PIDS—had other plans.”
Among those plans was to bring his impact evaluation expertise and strong grasp of data systems to the fore.
Dr. Orbeta is known within the Institute not only for fostering a culture of innovation and integrity but also for diving into the messy back-end of databases.
Under his watch, PIDS strengthened its knowledge management systems, expanded its reach through open-access digital platforms, and produced influential studies on social protection, health systems, education reforms, digital transformation, and food security.
According to internal reports, over 90 percent of PIDS research projects completed in the previous three years were used in the design or improvement of public policies, while 100 percent were either presented to policymakers or cited in refereed publications.
One of his major contributions—“Reassessing the Impact of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program: Results of the Third Wave Impact Evaluation”–– recently bagged the 2025 Outstanding Book/Monograph Award by the National Academy of Science and Technology.
Dr. Orbeta also strengthened partnerships with development agencies, such as the Asian Development Bank, Australian Agency for International Development, Innovations for Poverty Action, International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), Millennium Challenge Corporation, United States Agency for International Development, and World Bank, further enhancing PIDS’s technical credibility.
The Tuaño agenda
As Dr. Orbeta steps down, the Institute turns a new page under the leadership of Dr. Tuaño, who brings in strong expertise on governance, education policy, and public finance, along with extensive experience in institutional reform.
Dr. Tuaño earned his PhD in Economics in 2015 and his MA in Economics in 2001, both from the University of the Philippines. He also holds a master’s degree in Development Economics from the University of Sussex, completed in 1996, and a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Ateneo de Manila University, which he obtained in 1989.
As former ASOG Dean, he led initiatives focused on education reform, sustainable development, fiscal governance, and evidence-based policymaking. He contributed to national discussions on inclusive growth and collaborated with government, civil society, and academic sectors in shaping public policy.
Drawing from his years in academic leadership and policy advisory work, Dr. Tuaño’s vision will deepen policy engagement and broaden the Institute’s collaboration with development stakeholders, while continuing the research excellence that has defined PIDS in recent years.
“We will try to organize more workshops and fora so that many sectors are involved in the policy research that the Institute has been undertaking,” he said in an interview.
As PIDS enters a new chapter, it carries with it the steady foundation built under Dr. Orbeta’s leadership and the momentum to deepen its impact under Dr. Tuaño. — RTG
