The Jose Rizal University's Public Administration Programs (MPA and DPA) have recently been strengthened and challenged to sustain its position as among the best in the country with the election of one of its key faculty members to the national presidency of the Association of Schools of Public Administration in the Philippines, Incorporated (ASPAP, Inc.).

Prof. Eli E. Ricote, JRU's resident public administration scholar and senior faculty, was unanimously elected as ASPAP, Inc. President during the last ASPAP national assembly. As President he will, along with JRU, take on leadership roles in pursuing programs and projects to improve, expand and boost public administration and governance instruction, research and extension services in the country -- through ASPAP's more than a hundred membership of the best public and private PA/Governance academic institutions all over the country.

Having been a board member of the ASPAP, Inc. for the last five years prior to his election as President, Prof. Ricote has been heavily involved in various ASPAP projects which include development of instructional materials, researches, conduct of faculty development, training and lectures, provision of technical and institutional support to government agencies, local government units, advocacy and civil society groups in the pursuit and advocacy for good public administration and governance in the country.

The ASPAP Inc. is a non-stock and non-profit national organization of academic institutions offering degree programs in public management/administration/governance in the country.  Organized in 1979, the ASPAP Inc. is now a network of more than a hundred public and private academic institutions all over the country, a rich pool of academic/institutional resources unified towards improving and enriching the instruction, research and practice of public administration and governance in the Philippines. With the UP-National College of Public Administration and Governance as its institutional base, the ASPAP has been recognized for its pioneering efforts in these areas in the country and in the Asia-Pacific region.