Executive Secretary Ralph Recto on Saturday called on the latest graduates of the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) to anchor their public service on a single guiding principle: always side with the Filipino people.

Speaking at the Second One DAP Graduation Ceremony at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Recto emphasized that serving the people does not mean making promises that cannot be delivered or giving illusions, but providing a government that works for them fairly and effectively.

“You are not here to be popular. You are here to be purposeful,” Recto told the 857 graduates who completed Master’s degrees in public management leadership. 

He added that the measure of a public service career is not popularity, but “Filipino lives improved.”

Recto highlighted the role of DAP in strengthening the bureaucracy, describing it as a civilian counterpart to the Philippine Military Academy, preparing public servants to face the “daily battlefield of governance” against red tape, incompetence, corruption, and indifference. 

He noted that from 2015 to 2025, DAP trained nearly 56,000 public servants, including 10,000 trainees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Effective governance, Recto said, must produce tangible results for citizens—saving time, restoring dignity, and easing burdens through streamlined processes and well-designed programs.

“DAP is governance for real life. At the end of every policy and every program, there is only one test: nakakagaan ba ito ng buhay ng bawat Pilipino?” he asked.

He closed by congratulating the graduates as “stewards of the public good” and urged them to serve with integrity, wisdom, and commitment to the Filipino people.

Established in 1973, the Development Academy of the Philippines advances national development through training, research, and consultancy, focusing on good governance, productivity, and public sector excellence. 

To date, DAP has conducted 358 education programs and 1,078 training programs nationwide.