DMMMSU collaborated with the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), specifically through its Center of Excellence on Public Sector Productivity (COE-PSP), to facilitate the Productivity Challenge Workshop: Discovering and Designing Productivity Solutions.
This initiative from the Office of the Vice President for Administration unfolded two runs at the International Convention Center, Sapilang, Bacnotan, La Union, taking place on separate schedules — September 12 to 13, and 14 to 15, 2023.
The training-workshop was spearheaded Atty. Kate Potingan, Director for Quality Assurance and concurrent Director for Internal Audit, and Atty. Kristine Gay B. Balanag, Director for Administrative Services and concurrent Director for Human Resource Management and their teams. It aimed at fostering innovation and efficiency in the public sector. It accommodated 91 participants from DMMMSU and 29 from other agencies. The first batch comprised DMMMSU’s top-tier managers, middle managers, and their respective teams, while the second batch gathered Deans and select Function Directors.
Invited participants from National Power Corporation, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, the Local Government Unit of Bacnotan, Abuyog Community College, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Public Works and Highways – CAR, and Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. joined in the second run.
Leadership Igniting the Flame of Productivity
President Jaime I. Manuel, Jr. welcomed the participants. He recognized the productivity they exhibited as manifested by DMMMSU’s certification in various quality assurance endeavors, such as ISO, QS Stars, WURI, and PRIME-HRM, which speak volumes about the officials’ commitment to excellence. Not banking on the present laurels, he further challenged the participants to strive for even greater productivity.
Meanwhile, Dr. Antonio O. Ogbinar, VP for Administration, provided a clear orientation on the workshop’s purpose, setting the stage for a transformative experience.
Empowering Minds with Expert Insight
Mr. Peter Dan B. Baon, Program Director of DAP COE-PSP, served as the Resource Speaker. He introduced the concepts of public sector productivity and innovation in the Public Sector and the frameworks for productivity. He emphasized the role of government employees, constituting the country’s most significant workforce segment, in driving productivity. Mr. Baon delved into key concepts, including the productivity improvement cycle and innovation process. He equipped the participants with skills to identify productivity gaps, dissect their root causes, and articulate productivity challenges.
Through interactive workshops, the participants were further empowered to diagnose gaps in their respective units. They honed their problem-solving skills, employing divergent and convergent thinking styles and tools.
Innovative Solutions Emerge
Towards the workshop’s conclusion, the participants embarked on a journey of creativity and innovation as they created innovative solutions to the challenges they identified.
A Call to Greater Productivity
In her closing message, Atty. Balanag reiterated the message of the President and urged the participants to embrace a culture of continuous improvement. She emphasized the “when and why” of productivity, shedding light on the profound impact it could have on public sector effectiveness.
A Nationwide Movement for Progress
DAP’s commitment to enhancing public sector productivity extends beyond the workshop. This challenge, spanning from 2023 to 2026, represents a multi-year commitment to crowd-sourcing ideas and actions to revitalize the Philippines’ public sector productivity. (By Ayu)