Leaving a mark
SINCE IT was founded in 1999, the Angelo King Institute for Economic and Business Studies (AKI) of De La Salle UniversityManila (DLSU) has been holding various programs aligned with the vision of businessman, philanthropist, and namesake Angelo King. His son, however, played a more active role in propagating the institute’s agenda of poverty alleviation and inclusive economic growth, among others, before experiencing a tragic death.
As vice-chairman of AKI, the late Archimedes “Archie” R. King was often called a visionary by his colleagues for partnering with the university and trying to push the establishment and maintenance of the institute amid its decisive moments.
In a recent interview with BusinessWorld, AKI director Dr. Tereso S. Tullao, Jr. stated, “When you start a struggling research institute, the problem was we lacked projects or we didn’t have resourc- es. Archie King was there to support and provide the resources that we needed.”
“I think without that push from Archie King, this institute will not take its course and develop,” he added.
AKI is jointly organized by DLSU and the Angelo King Foundation (AKF). According to Dr. Tullao, the two founding organizations planned to establish a research institute that will drive the faculty members and students to research excellence, policy relevance, and concern for poverty alleviation.
He also said that the involvement of the students could be seen through the Young Economists Convention ( YEC), an annual conference that aims to instill awareness of prevalent economic issues among the young people.
“It’s really developing the young students to become economists as they organize national, regional, and international conferences on topics relevant to the advancement of the Philippine economy and alleviation of poverty,” explained Dr. Tullao. The YEC works in cooperation with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
In terms of the alleviation of poverty and improving local governance, AKI’s Community- Based Monitoring System (CBMS) is there to address existing data gaps at a local level. AKI has been wellknown throughout the country because it assists local government units — from municipalities to cities — in gathering a census data on the profile of the community. The information is being used for budgeting and planning purposes.
AKI is recognized by the National AntiPoverty Commission and the Department of Interior and Local Government for its vast efforts.
The institute has also been a major Asian participant of the Poverty and Economic Policy (PEP) Network Project since 2001. PEP is a worldwide network of researchers in developing countries that tackles economic policy, poverty, gender, and sustainable development in its studies.
To add, AKI had just concluded an international conference last June where delegates from Latin America, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia were in attendance.
“We are trying to make a dent in alleviating poverty globally,” said Dr. Tullao. “This is another exposure of the AKI. We are very thankful to the AKF, particularly to Mr.