The prospects for enhancing democracy and development in the Philippines: The 2016 elections and beyond

Drawing primarily on his own research, interviews and observations, David Timberman will address three topics: 1) the May 9 elections and what they reveal about contemporary Philippine politics, 2) the Aquino administration’s accomplishments and likely legacy, and 3) the political and socio-economic challenges facing the next administration.

David Timberman is a political analyst and development practitioner with 30 years experience analyzing and addressing political and governance challenges, principally in Southeast and South Asia. For the last nine months he has been a Visiting Professor of Political Science at De La Salle University in Manila, where he has taught courses on Southeast Asian politics and policy reform in the Philippines. Currently he is producing an edited volume assessing the political economy of budget reform in the Philippines and also is working on a book on the political economy of democratic governance and development in the Philippines. He is also a Technical Director at Management Systems International, a US-based consulting firm that conducts assessments, studies and evaluations intended to inform US government development strategies and programs. He has served as a senior democracy and governance (DG) advisor in USAID Washington’s Asia Near East Bureau and in USAID Indonesia, where he was deeply involved in the design and implementation of elections, civil society, parliamentary strengthening and anti-corruption programs. Through positions with the National Democratic Institute and the Asia Foundation he has worked closely with political parties and NGOs across Asia. He has lived and worked in the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore, including experiencing first-hand the democratic transitions in the Philippines (1986-1988) and Indonesia (1998-2001). He has written extensively on political and governance issues in the Philippines and has edited or co-edited multi-author volumes on the Philippines, Cambodia and economic policy reform in Southeast Asia. He holds a MA in International Affairs from Columbia University and a BA in political science (with honors) and history from Tufts University.