Call for Entries: Policy Pitch Challenge (Philippines)

Deadline: 13-Sep-2026

The “From Research to Policy: Advancing Science-Based Governance for a Resilient Baguio” Policy Pitch Challenge is inviting researchers, students, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and technical experts to submit policy proposals that can help strengthen evidence-based governance and planning in Baguio City. The competition is designed to bridge the gap between research and actionable public policy by encouraging participants to transform research findings into practical recommendations that can be integrated into local governance and planning frameworks. Winning proposals can receive up to ₱25,000 in awards, along with recognition for outstanding policy ideas.

About the Policy Pitch Challenge

The Policy Pitch Challenge supports the integration of research and scientific evidence into policy development in Baguio City. Participants are invited to develop proposals that respond to local priorities while being grounded in research and evidence. The competition aims to create practical policy recommendations that city offices can use when developing or improving governance and planning initiatives. The challenge also supports the role of the Baguio City Research and Innovation Center in connecting research outputs with local policy processes. Six Pillars of the City Research & Innovation Agenda Policy proposals must be aligned with one of the six primary pillars of the City Research & Innovation Agenda.

Environmental Action: Net Zero and Circularity

This pillar focuses on environmental action, including approaches related to net-zero development and circularity. Participants can develop research-based policy proposals that help address environmental priorities through practical and implementable recommendations. Social Protection and Inclusivity This pillar focuses on social protection and inclusivity. Proposals under this area can address policy approaches designed to strengthen inclusion and support communities through evidence-based recommendations. Economic Expansion and the Creative Economy The Economic Expansion and Creative Economy pillar focuses on policies that can contribute to economic development and the growth of creative economic activities. Participants can use research and technical evidence to develop actionable recommendations supporting economic opportunities and the creative economy. Infrastructure and Smart City Development This pillar focuses on infrastructure and smart city development. Policy proposals can explore evidence-based approaches to improving infrastructure and supporting smart city development within Baguio City. Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction The Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction pillar covers DRR-CCA, referring to disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. Participants can develop policy recommendations that help strengthen Baguio City’s resilience and preparedness through research-based approaches. Good Governance and Institutional Growth This pillar focuses on strengthening governance and institutional development. Proposals can provide evidence-based recommendations designed to improve governance systems, institutional capacity, and policy implementation.

Objectives of the Competition

The Policy Pitch Challenge has several key objectives.

The competition aims to:

- Generate practical and implementable policy recommendations. - Promote a fair and transparent proposal process. - Support the Baguio City Research and Innovation Center’s role in policy integration. - Strengthen the connection between research and local policymaking. - Build a compendium of vetted policy proposals. - Provide city offices with research-informed proposals that can support governance and planning. From Research to Actionable Policy A central purpose of the challenge is to transform research into policy recommendations that can be used in practice. Rather than focusing only on research findings, participants are encouraged to demonstrate how evidence can inform decisions, programmes, regulations, planning frameworks, or other local policy actions. A strong proposal should therefore clearly connect the research evidence with the policy issue it seeks to address and provide recommendations that can realistically be implemented. Who Can Participate? The Policy Pitch Challenge is open to a range of individuals and organizations with relevant research, academic, technical, or civic expertise.

Eligible applicants include:

- Researchers. - Students. - Academic institutions. - Civil society organizations. - Technical experts. Participants should ensure that their proposals are aligned with one of the six pillars of the City Research & Innovation Agenda. Previously Published Research Participants may use previously published research as the foundation for their policy proposal. However, the research must be substantially reframed as a policy proposal. Applicants must also properly disclose the use of previously published research. This allows researchers to build on existing evidence while shifting the focus toward practical policy recommendations and local governance applications. Use of AI Tools The competition permits the use of AI tools for drafting support. However, authors remain fully responsible for: - The originality of their proposal. - The accuracy and integrity of their submission. - Proper disclosure of AI tool use where required. - The final content submitted under their name. AI tools can therefore assist with drafting, but they do not replace the responsibility of the authors for the quality and originality of the proposal. Awards and Recognition Winning participants can receive up to ₱25,000 in awards. The competition also provides recognition for outstanding policy proposals. The awards are intended to recognize proposals that demonstrate strong potential to contribute to science-based governance and actionable policy development in Baguio City. How to Develop a Strong Policy Proposal

Participants can str