Category: Featured Articles

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.