MANILA, Philippines – Chief of staff to his mother Senator Grace Poe, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, Brian Poe-Llamanzares, received his doctorate in Public Administration this afternoon from the University of Perpetual Help during the graduation ceremony held at the Philippine International Convention Center.
“We must never forget the value of education. As more young people serve in government, we must continue to learn and grow to be able serve to the best of our ability,” says Poe-Llamanzares. Since 2013, Poe-Llamanzares has been working and campaigning alongside his mother, Senator Grace Poe, from being her official proxy to campaign manager and currently chief of staff of her Senate office.
At 30, Brian Poe-Llamanzares is also one of the younger chiefs of staff in the Senate. “What I lack in years of experience I made up for in years of education. Having completed my doctorate degree, I feel I have more to offer the Filipino people as I continue to serve as chief of staff in the Senate.” For the 19th Congress, Senator Grace Poe remains the chair of the Committee on Public Services and will also chair Committee on Economic Affairs. Brian Poe-Llamanzares has been serving as her chief of staff since she was elected and ranked second in the 2019 Senatorial race, where Poe-Llamanzares also served as her campaign manager.
The Doctor in Public Administration Program of the University of Perpetual Help was completed by Poe-Llamanzares in two years and wrote a dissertation titled “The Implementation of the National Broadband Plan (NBP) of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT): Prospects for Enhanced Policy, Regulatory, and Infostructural Interventions.”
“I think many of us learned the value of education during the pandemic. We should always remember that education is a gift. And that with that gift comes great responsibility. If we have studied, then it is our job to share what we’ve learned with our fellow Filipinos,” says Poe-Llamanzares.
Brian Poe-Llamanzares graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University in 2013 with a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Political Science. He then attended Columbia University for his Masters in Climate & Society before earning his Ph.D. in Public Administration from the University of Perpetual Help.