Category: Capability Development

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.

A total of 124 participants joined the Productivity Challenge Workshop: Discovering and Designing Productivity Solutions held at Don Mariano Marcos Memorial University (DMMMSU), Bacnotan, La Union, on 11-15 September 2023.

Class Photo: COE-PSP Program Dir. Baon, with participants from 10 government agencies

Batch 22 participants came from the DMMMSU faculty and staff, while batch 23 consisted of participants from different DMMMSU campuses, the National Power Corporation, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, Local Government Unit of Bacnotan, Abuyog Community College, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Department of Education Regional Office 1, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc., Department of Public Works and Highways-CAR, and Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority.

DMMMSU Offices of the Vice Presidents ideating

Center of Excellence on Public-Sector Productivity (COE-PSP) Program Director Peter Dan Baon introduced public sector productivity to the participants and taught them how to use tools for discovering productivity problems and gaps, formulating productivity problems, and discovering and designing productivity solutions. The application of these tools in public sector innovation was discussed as well.

DMMMSU staff during the first half of the workshop
“Draw a chair. Then draw it the way you think you can make it better.”

The participants worked on problems related to their departments or organizations. They were closely guided through the process, which helped them identify problems they could handle with their resources and authority. The workshop then carefully examined how to solve these problems and develop creative solutions.

The DMMMSU Campuses Class Photo
The Productivity Challenge is a multi-year project spearheaded by the DAP COE-PSP. It intends to foster awareness and boost the productivity and innovativeness of public sector organizations (PSOs) in the Philippines. It also envisions an advancement in the productivity movement by raising awareness and enabling a culture of innovation to improve productivity performance and quality service delivery.

We invite more government agencies and offices to participate in the Productivity Challenge Program. This multi-year project intends to foster awareness and boost the productivity and innovativeness of the public sector.

Participants’ acceptance is on a first-come, first-served basis. Want to learn more about this workshop? Check out the Course briefer here: http://bit.ly/ProdChallengeWorkshop-CourseBriefer

To learn more about the Productivity Challenge, visit https://productivitychallenge.dap.edu.ph and subscribe to our Facebook page https://web.facebook.com/APOcoepsp for updates on upcoming workshops.

A total of 44 participants joined this year’s second batch of the Designing Citizen-Centered Public Services (DCCPS) Upskilling Phase held at the Development Academy of the Philippines Conference Center in Tagaytay City last 14-18 August 2023.

The participants came from 11 national government agencies, including Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Toll Regulatory Board, National Authority for Child Care, Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority, Philippine Economic Zone Authority, News and Information Bureau, National Conciliation and Mediation Board, Council for the Welfare of Children, Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency, National Meat Inspection Service, and National Historical Commission of the Philippines.

For the Upskilling Phase, the participants went through sessions and workshops on creating a stakeholder persona, reframing problems, idea generation, prototyping, user testing, and pitching.

DAP Center of Excellence on Public-Sector Productivity Program Director Peter Dan Baon, Project Officer Gianne Karla Gaoiran, and Associate Project Officer Alvin Bilog were lecturers who guided the participants during the workshops.

DAP COE-PSP Program Director Peter Dan Baon delivered the session on idea generation.

Robert Caampued, Section Head at the Council for the Welfare of Children, shared his learnings from the 5-day training workshop.

“My main takeaway is that all ideas are important. No matter how small or how little the idea is, it could contribute to the end goal, which is improvement. If we have a lot of ideas, we can generate enough solutions for the problems that we have, and we can innovate those solutions to tailor fit our current agencies,” said Caampued.

He said the DCCPS program made him think of ways to improve as his agency becomes more IT-driven.

User testing the design: The participants acted as users of the prototype service designs and provided their fellow participants with valuable feedback on where their design succeeded and needed improvement.

After completing the upskilling stage, the participants will proceed to the next three phases of the DCCPS program: pitching, project incubation, and knowledge and experience-sharing sessions.

Hosted by the DAP COE-PSP, the DCCPS program is a two-month-long intensive course that aims to assist government agencies in developing solutions so that their services address their client’s needs and expectations.

This year’s Batch 2 of the DCCPS program.

Eight government agencies completed the Upskilling Phase of the Development of Public Sector Productivity Specialists – Foundation Course (DPSPS-FC) held in Quezon City last 31 July to 4 August 2023.

This training program was hosted by the Development Academy of the Philippines, the focal and implementing organization of the country’s designation as the Center of Excellence on Public-Sector Productivity (COE-PSP).

Thirty-eight participants from various government agencies joined the event, including the Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office I, Department of Transportation, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Education Regional Office XI, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Presidential Communications Office, National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, and the National Water Resources Board.

The training is designed to equip technical staff and officers of public-sector organizations with the knowledge and skills in measurement, analysis, planning, and troubleshooting to increase their respective organizations’ productivity.

The DPSPS-FC has four phases: Upskilling, Pitching, Pilot-testing and Coaching, and Knowledge and Experience Sharing Sessions.

The training course covered topics such as Understanding Productivity Concepts; Measuring Productivity in the Public Sector; Diagnosing and Analyzing Productivity; and Identifying Productivity Improvement Solutions.

Former DAP Center for Knowledge Management Vice President Ms. Elena Cruz, Asian Productivity Organization (APO) Productivity Expert Ms. Niña Estudillo, and DAP Resident Fellow Director Maria Rosario Ablan stood as resource persons. Aside from providing lectures, they also served as panelists for the participants’ proposals.

Former DAP Center for Knowledge Management Vice President Ms. Elena Cruz, during her lecture on Diagnosing and Analyzing Productivity
Batch photo with the resource persons – panelists

The conference sessions concluded with a presentation of various digitalization efforts of the Bureau of Internal Revenue – Information Systems Group. These innovations include:

  • The Electronic Audited Financial Statements (eAFS), a web-based application financial system where clients can submit their audited financial statements, cutting cueing and time spent on face-to-face transactions;
  • ONETT Tracking System (OTS), a time tracking system that ensures there won’t be delays in processing ONETT transactions;
  • One-Time Transactions (ONETT), an internal server where all the data are secured;
  • eONNETT, which is the client-end of the ONETT— user-friendly web-based application system for specific tax transactions outside of the audited financial statements (like the sale of real properties classified as capital and ordinary assets);
  • ONEHUB, an employee engagement platform that uses Microsoft 365 for employees to be able to communicate across different departments and offices;
  • The eAppointment System enables clients to book certain services and schedule appointments online for an ensured time slot.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue – Information Systems Group
Class photo with the Bureau of Internal Revenue – Information Systems Group

At the end of the Upskilling lectures, the agency representatives shared their proposals with the Resource Persons – Panelists. The next step will be the online Pitching session, where the participants present their proposals to their agency heads.