The Political Science Department of the Eastern Samar State University Main Campus hosted a seminar on political leadership on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at Teatro Ibabawnon, featuring a keynote speech on “The Future of Philippine Political Economy: Prospects for Eastern Samar” by Gov. RV Evardone.
The seminar gave students a chance to look closely at how government decisions and local development work together.
During his talk, Gov. Evardone explained the concept of the Philippine political economy, which is the study of how politics and money influence one another.
He described how government institutions and laws shape the economy, while economic needs often drive the actions of the state.
He noted that this field sits at the intersection of law and science, focusing on how power determines how wealth is produced and shared, and how that leads to the funding of actual government projects.
The governor also provided a clear picture of where the province currently stands.
He discussed the steps the provincial government is taking to create a stable economy, citing how the provincial government is pushing to create more jobs for its people through outside investors and tourism.
However, the governor admitted the potential downsides of these goals.
He said that relying too much on outside money can lead to “gentrification,” where local costs rise so high that residents can no longer afford to live in their own communities.
He also mentioned the risk of becoming too dependent on foreign companies that might prioritize their own profits over the stability of the province.
To close his lecture, Gov. Evardone shared the pace of progress in the province. He explained that while the current changes might not seem high-impact yet, they are part of a larger plan to build a strong foundation.
“We’re doing things differently; it may not be high-impact now, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. Because before things happen, there have to be plans, there have to be foundations. So now we’re picking up where we left off, but still at the foundation level,” he said. (SEJ-JDM)
