Dr. Brillantes obtained his AB Political Science, Master of Public Administration, and Certificate in Governmental Management from the University of the Philippines. From 1980-1986, he was a scholar at the East-West Center, University of Hawaii where he finished his Ph.D. and M.A. in Political Science. He took courses in the political economy at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington DC and special studies in Policy Analysis and innovations in Local Governance at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. He is presently a Professor Emeritus of Public Administration in NCPAG. Dr. Brillantes serves as Secretary-General of the Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA).
His field of specialization are as follows: Development administration, comparative public administration, decentralization, local governance, urban governance, development and underdevelopment, and the governance of institutions.
Dr. Brillantes served as Director of Publications Office of UP College of Public Administration and Editor-in-chief of the Philippine Journal of Public Administration. He was the President of the Philippine Society for Public Administration for four terms, and President of the Asian Association for Public Administration (AAPA) where he was one of its founding members in Tokyo, Japan. He also served as Chair of the Philippine Social Science Council (PSSC). He served as the Executive Director of the Local Government Academy within the Department of Interior and Local Government from 1993 to 1997, and as Commissioner of Higher Education from 2013 to 2017.
Dr. Brillantes has written three books and published refereed articles, several local and international journals, and edited books. Among his awards are the University of the Philippines Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award for Innovative Public Administration Education, the East West Center and East West Center Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Award and Volunteer Service Award (received in Seoul and in Kuala Lumpur), the Astana Civil Service Hub Award (received in in Kazakshtan), the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Tanglaw ng Bayan Award, and the University of the Philippines Baguio Alumni Association Centennial Achievement Award. He was recognized among the alumni of the Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Association of the Philippines who Responded to the Call to Service. The Polytechnic University of the Philippines awarded him a Doctor in Public Administration “Honoris Causa.”
