Having fun

ASIDE from the demands of my day job, what is taking some of my time is an online international seminar on New Public Management, courtesy of the Friedrich Neumann Foundation.

Yes, I am having fun, not only because I get to share ideas on what I do, and learn from what others are doing, not only in the Philippines but in other parts of the world. At the same time, I also get to meet people -- like Rafael, Magnolia, Nicole, Cheryl, Helen, Rommel, Paulo and Oliver, to name a few -- who are not happy with the way things are, and are passionate about making the needed changes, big or small.

Our discussion in an online forum has covered a lot of grounds, some of which are close to heart -- like the voucher system in education; privatization in transport, telecommunications and other sectors in the economy; the justice system and many more.

Aside from the forum, participants are required to write down a short introduction and towards the end submit an essay on the public administration in his country, its main problems and the kind of reforms needed. The online part ends on March 9, and a week-long stay in Gummersbach, near Cologne, Germany, awaits the lucky few who will be invited by FNF to continue with the seminar. How's that for an incentive?:)