Category: Capability Development

Discussions with agency representatives followed the presentations.

To culminate this year’s Development of Public-Sector Productivity Specialists Foundation Course (DPSPS-FC) and the Designing Citizen-Centered Public Services (DCCPS) program, 111 on-site and online participants gathered for the Knowledge and Experience Sharing Session on 11 December 2023.

The participants presented their Productivity Improvement Plans (PIPs) and Service Innovation Projects (SIPs) designed for their respective government agencies. They also provided updates linked to the implementation and adoption of their projects.

The PIPs ranged from automated trade systems for the agricultural sector to improved financial assistance distribution processes. At the same time, the SIPs were developed to improve services like providing student discounts in rail systems and free legal assistance to help resolve document corrections.

Civil servants watched the video presentations that explained their PIPs and SIPs.

Agency representatives also had the opportunity to discuss the drivers and challenges they faced in pilot-testing their outputs. One of the participating agencies, the National Security Council, cited that the team pursued the idea of a Quality Management System to address the internal inefficiencies that could hamper and limit the service delivery to other stakeholders.

Many teams mentioned that some challenges were finding a common time for meetings with stakeholders and ensuring effective communication and coordination.


The teams also had their advice to potential participants of the two programs. They mentioned that getting the management and stakeholders’ buy-in and planning are crucial for mobilizing productivity for these initiatives.


In his opening remarks, Center for Excellence on Public-Sector Productivity Program Director Peter Dan Baon expressed his gratitude to the attendees and participating agencies for their commitment to their projects.

“It’s essential to note that these programs are more than just training sessions. They represent our shared vision aligned with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028. Through them, the Development Academy of the Philippines endeavors to play a pivotal role in refining and redefining the contours of our public sector’s productivity,” said Dir. Baon.

The DPSPS-FC equips agency representatives with specialized training in planning, problem-solving, measurement, and analysis, ultimately aimed at improving organizational productivity.

The DCCPS course aims to assist government agencies in crafting client-centric solutions. It provides coaching and guidance throughout important stages such as information gathering, idea development, and testing.

KESS online and on-site participants gathered with the project team.
Atty. Nathan Marasigan shares his expertise on blockchain technology and how it can revolutionize services in the Philippines.

Annually organized by the Development Academy of the Philippines’ Center of Excellence on Public Sector Productivity since 2017, the Conference on Public Sector Productivity aims to discuss current and emerging issues and trends in public-sector productivity, present different public-sector organizations’ experiences in designing and implementing their productivity improvement initiatives, and provide a platform for shared learning on public-sector productivity.

The recently concluded Conference on Public-Sector Productivity: Reimagining Public Service Delivery in the Digital Age, held last 5 December 2023, brought together nearly 300 participants, including government officials, senior technical staff, and representatives from various sectors involved in digital government programs, innovation systems, and national development.

DICT Usec. for e-Government David Almirol Jr. with DAP President and CEO Engelbert C. Caronan Jr. and VP of DAP CFG Imelda C. Caluen.

Key discussions at the conference centered on the important role of digital tools such as blockchain, chatbots, and other advancements in ensuring responsible data handling through robust cybersecurity measures.

National agency representatives shared best practices and plans for nationwide initiatives, propelling the Philippines into the digital age. Keynote Speaker Usec. David Almirol Jr. of the Department Of Information And Communications Technology discussed the progress towards e-governance, while Usec. Alexander Ramos of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center shed light on nationwide cybersecurity programs.

Speakers highlighted innovative approaches to digital public service delivery, with Atty. Nathan Marasigan and Engr. Emman Navalan exploring the challenges and advantages of blockchain, demonstrated through cryptocurrency, specific to the context of sensitive-data storage for government institutions. Dr. Myung Jae Moon and Curtis Matlock demonstrated the transformative impact of AI and machine-learning on e-governance.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Director of Supervisory Analytics Noel L. Guinto emphasized responsible data handling for government agencies, underlining the ongoing efforts and explorations of the BSP to upgrade technology for enhanced public service and data security.

The conference concluded with the recognition of winners in the 2023 Productivity Spark: 1,000 Ideas for Productivity.

For more information about CPSP, this year’s speakers, and ongoing updates, connect with us on Facebook and bookmark our page for real-time updates.

Watch the event recap here:

The two-week Asian Productivity Organization (APO) Development of Public-Sector Productivity Specialists course, hosted by the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) through the Center of Excellence on Public-Sector Productivity (COE-PSP), concluded last 17 November 2023 in Pasay City.

The event brought together 22 participants from APO-member economies in a program that aimed to equip public-sector specialists with knowledge and skills to enhance productivity.

DAP COE-PSP Dir. Peter Dan B. Baon, APO/DAP Secretariat Armand Tristan R. Suratos, DAP Center for Governance Vice President Imelda C. Caluen, with the resource persons and participants.

Throughout the course, resource persons Dr. D. Brian Marson, President of the Public Service Excellence Institute in Canada, Dr. Myung Jae Moon, Underwood Distinguished Professor at Yonsei University in the Republic of Korea, and Maria Rosario Ablan, DAP Program Director, shared insights on various aspects of public-sector productivity. Dr. Marson discussed change management theory and techniques for enhancing productivity and effective leadership. At the same time, Dr. Moon highlighted best practices in information and communications technology, regulatory reform, and applying foresight in the public sector. Dir. Ablan discussed the meaning and importance of productivity measurement in the public sector.

The participants huddled during one of the workshops.

In the second week, Dr. Jose Elvinia, APO Multicountry Programs Division Head, emphasized the course vision to equip participants with the necessary knowledge for driving productivity.

DAP Senior Vice President for Programs Magdalena L. Mendoza presented the tools and approaches available for public organizations to enhance productivity. Her presentation covered various topics, including performance management and organizational productivity improvement approaches targeting human resources, management, and equipment and technology.

DAP Senior Vice President for Programs Magdalena L. Mendoza shared the tools and approaches to enhance public-sector productivity.

The course also included a site visit to select government agencies, including the Business Permit and Licensing Office of the Quezon City Local Government, the Land Bank of the Philippines, and the Philippine Statistics Authority.

In the culminating activity, the participants presented a group report applying what they learned during the site visit. They also created and presented their Productivity Improvement Plan (PIP) to the resource speakers, who will all be their coaches when implementing their PIP.

One of the participants, Dr. Malaykham Philaphone from Laos PDR, shared her takeaways after attending the course. She said the upskilling made her better understand internal operations as she serves in the public sector.

“Knowing (the) tools to improve organizational productivity will escalate citizen-centered service,” said Dr. Philaphone.

The participants shared what they learned after the site visit with selected government agencies.

The 22 participants represented member economies, including Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.

Dr. Ilka Massue Kawashita, during one of the sessions, discussed the variables that drive citizens’ trust and confidence in public institutions.

The Public Service Value Chain Workshop, hosted by the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) through the Center of Excellence on Public-Sector Productivity in coordination with the Asian Productivity Organization, wrapped up a series of learning sessions and workshops in Pasig City from 23 – 27 October 2023.

The event brought together 35 participants from the DAP and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

In her welcome address, DAP Senior Vice President for Programs Magdalena L. Mendoza emphasized the importance of optimizing value chains for efficient and effective public service delivery.

“As public sector entities serve citizens, they contribute significantly to national value. To meet the diverse demands of both private and public stakeholders, refining the public service value chain is thus crucial,” said SVP Mendoza.

The resource persons for the five-day workshop were Dr. Nilton Hideki Takagi, a Professor at the Federal University of Mato Grosso’s Institute of Computing in Brazil, and Dr. Ilka Massue Kawashita, an Associate Professor at the University of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona.

During the training, Dr. Takagi and Dr. Kawashita provided an overview of the concepts and methods of public service value chain development.

Participants discussed the processes in the value chain with Dr. Takagi.

They also shared the bottom-up approach in developing public service value chains, discussed how horizontal governance works, explored how public institutions can increase citizen trust and confidence, and guided the participants in collecting data and defining processes and macro processes within government institutions.

Dr. Kawashita also shared insights on the methods for monitoring and evaluating value chains. She emphasized the critical role of measuring performance in maintaining standards and ensuring quality. “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it,” Dr. Kawashita stressed. Simultaneously, Dr. Takagi delved into the software tools for designing value chains.

Dr. Takagi shared the concepts, approaches, and software tools for designing value chains.

On the last day, participants presented the value chains they had developed using various approaches.

The event culminated with discussions on creating a training manual for value chain development in the public sector, covering topics like planning, implementation, and management of value chain initiatives.

The workshop aimed to enhance public sector efficiency and contribute to national value by refining the public service value chain.

The resource persons and participants with DAP Senior Vice President for Programs Magdalena L. Mendoza, COE-PSP Dir. Peter Dan Baon, and DAP Resident Fellow Maria Rosario Ablan.

Overview

Green Transformation would require a new “contract” among stakeholders that is green, sustainable, and inclusive. During the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) Virtual Workshop on Green Innovation held in October 2023, Dr. Rene Ofreneo, Professor Emeritus of the University of the Philippines, shared his thoughts on combining innovation, productivity, and growth.

Pioneering Green Productivity

Since 2002, the APO has advocated for green productivity, hinged upon a heavily agrarian landscape among its member economies. This was a call to the public sector to steer growth, innovation, and productivity toward a green economy.

In the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, Green Productivity emerged as a lifeline for economies, offering an opportunity to address the looming climate crisis. By directing efforts towards renewable energy, societies can simultaneously foster job creation and access to cleaner, more affordable energy.

The New Green Deal

The New Green Deal was a proposal for the G20 countries to shift to clean, renewable energy and support the labor force behind green jobs. This meant investing in restructuring the traditional energy-reliant societies and creating new jobs that give way to environmentalists and indigenous and vulnerable communities that stand to protect their homes, consisting of the ecosystems that require high-level environmental protection.

The Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals

In the field of green innovation and combating the climate crisis, the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) took center stage in 2015. The Paris Agreement stands as a legally binding climate change treaty, aiming to cap global temperature increases to just 1.5°C, a marked improvement from the anticipated 2°C rise in the status quo.

As another instrument of the United Nations, the SDGs obligated member states to adopt the 17 SDGs based on the five interconnected pillars: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnership, all to be realized by 2030.

Professor Ofreneo advocates for these instruments despite the prevailing environmental challenges. He implores governments to shift towards greener alternatives and structures.

The Future of Sustainable Development

Harking back to the 1987 World Commission on Environment and Development’s report, “Our Common Future,” the principle of sustainable development resounds: it should fulfill the present needs without jeopardizing future generations’ ability to meet their own needs.

To achieve this vision, there must be alignment in the environmental, political, and economic agendas. This synchrony must serve the immediate necessities while ensuring the world’s continued rotation, promising a secure future. This said synchronization must occur under a regional policy framework, with national accountability, but with an impact that can be observed and felt across Asia, as Professor Ofreneo concludes.

Embracing Social Justice in the Green Transition

Professor Ofreneo’s perspective expands to social justice within the framework of the green transition. He acknowledges the “controversial” and “radical” nature of the Climate Justice movement. Nevertheless, he recognizes its value in advocating for a holistic approach: environmental protection equates to safeguarding the most economically vulnerable communities.

He concludes with a battle cry: for all sectors and communities to unite in the pursuit of a Green Transformation.

In his words, “Green innovation requires green investment.”

The future is uncertain, and governments need to be abreast with the emerging trends that can affect the future of work in the public sector. Equipping the public-sector workforce is necessary for government agencies to manage and adapt through ambiguous situations.

In her talk during the Envisioning the Future Civil Servants; Shaping Public-Sector Productivity session of the Human Capital Development as a Driver in Improving Public-Sector Productivity webinar series, Director Emilyn Severo of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) identified six major trends that will shape the public-sector workforce for the future:

  • Digital Transformation: This trend involves embracing digital tools and technologies to modernize government operations. It includes using data-driven decision-making and innovative solutions to improve public service delivery. The goal is to make government agencies more efficient, transparent, and responsive to the needs of the public. For example, the CSC is creating an ICT office to oversee IT programs and has implemented digital platforms like a knowledge management portal and a centralized customer feedback system.
  • Diversity and Inclusion: This trend recognizes the importance of creating diverse and inclusive workplaces within government organizations. It promotes gender and development initiatives, addresses sexual harassment cases, and focuses on gender mainstreaming. By prioritizing diversity and inclusion, government agencies can better adapt to the changing and interconnected world and ensure equal opportunities for all.
  • Remote Work: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift toward remote work. The future of work is expected to be more hybrid, combining office and remote work. Remote work offers several advantages, including the continuity of public service delivery during emergencies, cost savings from reduced office space and commuting expenses, improved work-life balance, and enhanced health and safety protection. With regard to remote work, the CSC has issued policies on flexible work arrangements to support remote work while promoting productivity.
  • Resilience and Dynamism: Resilience is the ability to recover from adversity, such as crises or shocks. Government employees need to be resilient to overcome challenges in their work (e.g., dealing with demanding customers or meeting tight deadlines). Dynamism involves adapting to change, given the constantly evolving world. To foster resilience and dynamism, the CSC organizes events such as the Public Sector Human Resource (HR) Symposium focusing on these qualities.
  • Adaptive Leadership. Adaptive leadership is a key competency required for navigating the complexities of a rapidly changing world. Government leaders must respond to crises, address emerging issues, and lead with resilience and innovation. The CSC offers leadership series and webinars on adaptive leadership to equip government leaders with the necessary skills.
  • Lifelong Learning. In an era of rapid technological advancement, government employees must continually update their skills and knowledge. Lifelong learning is essential to remain effective and responsive to citizens’ needs. The CSC has launched a Learning Management System (LMS) to facilitate continuous learning and offers e-learning courses for government employees. This commitment to lifelong learning ensures that government workers can access training and development resources to stay current and improve their skills.

Collaboration is key

CSC, which serves as the central human resource institution of the Philippine Government, has an important role in preparing the Philippine bureaucracy toward a forward-looking future. While the CSC fulfills its mandate, the institution should not solely implement human capital development programs, as this should also be the mission of every government agency, every government leader, and every government employee in the Philippines. Collaboration is key for the Philippine bureaucracy to prepare its workforce to the fast-changing circumstances.

The identified trends emphasize the need for government agencies and employees to be flexible, responsive, and innovative in a rapidly changing world. By embracing these trends, government organizations can better serve their constituents and adapt to future challenges.

Watch the full webinar here.

Photo Credit: DAP Center for Governance – Policy Research Office

In the age of digital transformation, the Philippines faces an unprecedented challenge: the relentless onslaught of cyber threats. With the recently reported cyber attacks, the assertion of Engineer Pierre Tito Galla of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has never been more accurate: “[Cyber] breaches or incidents are not a matter of if, but when.” These challenges are particularly alarming for institutions holding vast private data, such as those in banking and finance, and public-sector agencies entrusted with high-risk confidential information (HRCI).

In 2022, the Philippines experienced a 57.4% surge in ransomware attacks, as the Philippine News Agency reported. These attacks have emerged as the weapon of choice for cybercriminals, targeting both private and public sectors. Data theft, driven by ransomware attacks, has now become a means of extortion in the country, which places the Philippines at number two in Asia in terms of being targeted by cyberattacks.

Cybersecurity serves as a risk mitigation effort for public-sector organizations (PSOs) as it can help ensure business continuity and minimize downtime. PSOs are entrusted with different levels of data, requiring different magnitudes of security in the same breath. The data is the purpose of many initiatives towards productivity through digitalization; cybersecurity is indispensable toward these efforts. By prioritizing cybersecurity, PSOs enhance their ability to maintain business continuity, minimize downtime, and optimize resource allocation, leading to more effective public service delivery.

Solidifying Cybersecurity in CBILLS Thursday Talks

On 21 September 2023, the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), through its Center for Governance–Policy Research Office (CFG-PRO), held the fifth and final installment of the 2023 Thursday Talks Lecture Series under the Capability Building on Innovative Leadership for Legislative Staff (CBILLS) program entitled “Safe and Sound: Protecting Filipinos in a Digital Future.” The event was held at the Virata Hall of DAP in Pasig City and streamed online.

Officers and staff from the Senate of the Philippines, House of Representatives, and DAP attended the event.

Atty. Richard Leo M. Baldueza, Committee Secretary on Banks & Financial Intermediaries of the House of Representatives, moderated the discussions, sharing his insights into cybersecurity within the context of e-governance and highlighting actual cases in the finance sector.

Engineer Pierre Tito Galla delved into the fundamentals of cybersecurity, the current state of Philippine cybersecurity, and the global shortage of cybersecurity professionals. He also tackled USAID’s Better Access and Connectivity (BEACON) Project — a five-year project aimed at promoting economic growth through better information and communications technology (ICT) and helping bridge the digital divide in the Philippines.

Tirso Raymond Gutierrez, Chief of Staff of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, outlined the citizen-centric features of the proposed E-Governance Act. This legislation centralizes payments and government transactions, ushering in a more secure and efficient era of governance.

Securing the Digital Financial Landscape

Director Melchor Plabasan of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas highlighted the transformative impact of digital payment portals and electronic wallets, expanding financial inclusion among lower to lower-middle-income groups. However, he also voiced concerns about the surge in data breaches from phishing and other cybercriminal tactics targeting civilian accounts.

Atty. Christine Lovely E. Red-Allego, Assistant Vice President of the Bank of the Philippine Islands, expressed enthusiasm for the proposed E-Governance Act, foreseeing its potential to bolster e-banking initiatives. She also echoed the alarming number of cyberattacks on customers’ online accounts.

If you want to see the full session, click here.

Key Takeaways:

  • The public sector’s productivity efforts demand the presence of cybersecurity in risk mitigation and management. With less time spent on recovering from cyberattacks, there will be more time and manpower dedicated to ensuring the initiatives, in the form of projects or programs, run smoothly.
  • The panel discussions unearthed several nuances in the Philippines’ cybersecurity landscape. Notably, the nation grapples with a growing interest in cybersecurity, yet it contends that more professionals are needed. Furthermore, the competitiveness of the labor sector for cybersecurity experts remains a challenge, with remuneration being a significant factor.
  • Critical information protection has long been a pivotal concern of cybersecurity since massive malware attacks have threatened or succeeded in compromising data. The Philippines’ situation in the matter has yet to actualize fully.
  • Transforming towards a digitalized society is a shared responsibility. As part of recovery in the new normal, Filipinos should be fully aware of the cyber risks to protect cyberspace from attacks, phishing schemes, malicious links, and scams, just as much as the government must be highly critical of “when” cyberattacks can happen.
  • With digital banking and online or e-wallets, cybersecurity threats have been more prominent and provoking to hackers. The finance and banking sector must partner with the government to protect the constituents’ money and their HRCI.
DICT-CAR participants pool their ideas for their Affinity Diagram.

To boost innovation and productivity in the public sector, the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), through the Center of Excellence on Public-Sector Productivity (COE-PSP), conducted a series of Productivity Challenge workshops in Luzon and Mindanao this September.

The workshops were held in key cities, including Baguio, San Fernando, General Santos, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro.

Two hundred fifty-one government executives and staff from various agencies and institutions attended these workshops.

The Luzon leg featured DAP Associate Project Officer Alvin Bilog as the resource speaker and saw participation from several regional agencies and State Universities and Colleges (SUCs). Key attendees included the Department of Agriculture, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and others.

In Mindanao, participants came from various government offices, including the Department of Education, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Philippine National Police.

A participant from Mindanao shares her Crazy 8 ideation sample.

The workshops aimed to spur and sustain creativity through individual and group exercises, prompting participants to redefine workplace productivity and address urgent productivity challenges. Attendees were encouraged to submit their ideas for the “2023 Productivity Spark: 1000 Ideas for Productivity.”

COE-PSP has already surpassed its target for idea submissions, and those who could not attend the workshops are invited to contribute their ideas via bit.ly/prodspark1000ideas.

Baguio City Police attendees work on the Production Model of Performance and Waste.
The Productivity Challenge is a multi-year project spearheaded by the DAP’s Center of Excellence on Public Sector Productivity that intends to foster awareness and boost the productivity and innovativeness of public sector organizations (PSOs) in the Philippines. Its goal is to advance the productivity movement in the public sector by raising awareness and enabling a culture of innovation to improve productivity performance and quality service delivery.

2023 Productivity Spark: 1,000 Ideas for Productivity
2024 Fastbreak: 100k Transaction Hours Reduced
2025 Paper-less: 1 Million Sheets of Paper Saved
2026 Money Wise: 1 Billion Pesos Saved

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has an array of potential as an effective tool that can assist the development work. For one, AI can be a transformative force to accelerate sustainable development goal (SDG) targets such as climate change mitigation, healthcare, education, and economic growth. Through the lens of the public sector, AI can help enhance efficiency and productivity while improving decision and policy-making.

The public sector can learn from the experience of international organizations on how they have used AI to maximize efficiency and minimize risks, which, in the long run, can help boost productivity.

Marc Segone, Evaluation Officer Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in his presentation during the 2023 Asian Evaluation Week held in Thailand last 11-14 September, talked about the various stages in the evaluation process where AI can be applied, including data collection, analysis, interpretation, communication, synthesis, and report generation. The UNFPA also recognizes the importance of enhancing digital and AI literacy to bridge the digital divide, which can also be applied in the public sector.

Uyen Kim Huynh, Innovation Specialist at the Evaluation Office of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and Martin Prowse, Evaluation Specialist of Green Climate Fund (GCF), also shared their insights on how AI has helped them improve their efficiency.

At UNICEF, AI is tapped in the organization’s evaluation processes, particularly through the use of Natural Language Processing (NLP), for a better understanding of the holistic impact of UNICEF’s interventions, especially in multidimensional goals. These include analyzing priorities of interventions, scoping and synthesizing evaluations, generating baselines, and examining social data from sources like X (Twitter). AI tools also assist UNICEF in processing and cleaning large volumes of data efficiently, making it ready for analysis. AI further helps integrate diverse data sets from various sources, which is crucial for constructing baselines and counterfactual values. This can also be applied in public sector organizations that help decision-makers develop informed, evidence-based policies and recommendations.

While GCF has not been using generative AI yet, it explores the tool’s potential utilization in the future, especially in addressing the challenge of measuring adaptation in climate interventions. One significant challenge in climate evaluation is measuring adaptation, as it has no concrete metric similar to mitigation’s carbon footprint. AI may be helpful in synthesizing existing Climate Change Adaptation’s (CCA) monitoring and evaluation frameworks and other CCA activities, such as ensuring transparency, longitudinal data usage, and its alignment with the national contexts.

Still, AI also has its known harms and potential risks. These include human-AI conflict (difference in interpretation between the two), loss of control and technological dependency, unemployment fears and socio-economic disparities, lack of legal and regulatory frameworks, and ethical concerns.

Strong ethical guidelines and international regulations are crucial to reduce potential harm and mitigate AI-related risks. Implementing activities such as robust testing, data quality control, transparency, regular monitoring, and human oversight are also essential. Finally, automation must be balanced with human expertise and oversight in AI-powered evaluation.

Watch the session recording here.

Key Takeaways:

  • AI holds promise in improving planning, decision intelligence, predictive analytics, and other systems that support evaluators in drawing more precise conclusions and making recommendations. As AI technology matures, its impact on evaluation practices is expected to grow. However, there is a need for regulation in using generative AI, ensuring data privacy, sensitivity, and responsible usage within organizations.
  • The evaluation community can be pivotal in ensuring responsible and ethical AI power evaluation. The transdisciplinary nature of evaluation can contribute to assessing AI technologies’ merit and impact while identifying biases and unfair outcomes. Collaboration with internal stakeholders and external partners and developing a clear vision and leadership are essential for successful AI integration into the evaluation function.
The participants exchange ideas during the Conversation Circles.

The Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), through the Center of Excellence on Public-Sector Productivity (COE-PSP), led the Conversation Circles on public sector productivity last 13 September 2023 at the DAP Building in Pasig City.

Nine members from the Community of Practice on Public-Sector Productivity attended the event. These participants came from different government agencies, including the Department of Transportation, Department of Education (Schools Divisions of Dasmariñas City and Mandaluyong City), Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, and National Youth Commission.

Class photo: The first batch of Conversation Circle attendees.

The COE-PSP organized the Community of Practice on Public-Sector Productivity as a platform for individuals who have undergone different capability development programs of the center. It aims to promote and sustain discussions about public sector productivity in the Philippines.

As the first activity, the members gathered in Conversation Circles to co-create possible activities and interventions to promote public sector productivity and help define the strategic position and role of the community.

The participants shared insights on how to promote public sector productivity.

The participants engaged in discussions about the productivity challenges and opportunities within their respective government agencies. They emphasized the importance of involving everyone, from top-level management to individual employees, in efforts to enhance public sector productivity. This includes the involvement of those from the national level down to individual offices. From this event, the participants suggested bringing the discussion of public sector productivity into their own offices.