Category: Performance Management

Summary

The establishment of OneExpert as a unified platform for the delivery of scientific and technical services and as a dynamic database of experts and consultants is an initiative to support the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) mandate to provide leadership and coordination of the country’s scientific and technological efforts to benefit the people. This project, spearheaded by Engr. Rowen R. Gelonga, Regional Director of the DOST VI, started in November 2016 with the development of the online portal of S&T experts and consultants tapped by DOST, coming from its agencies, the academe, other government agencies, and the private sector.

Background and Problem

The delivery of S&T services is hindered by the following major constraints:

  • Lack of comprehensive information on available S&T experts in the country; and
  • Logistical and financial constraints in bringing experts to the countryside.

With these challenges, OneExpert aims to

  • Establish a nationwide pool of S&T experts;
  • Improve access to available DOST technology databases;
  • Develop a portal for accessing the pool of S&T experts and technology databases;
  • Encourage involvement of local scientists, researchers, and other technical people from the public and private sectors in addressing S&T problems of the country;
  • Encourage information and knowledge sharing among local scientists and researchers;
  • Enhance the use of ICT in the delivery of government programs, projects, and services; and,
  • Deploy personnel to the countryside to facilitate delivery of S&T services.

Solution and Impact

OneExpert’s central component is an online portal and associated mobile applications. The portal is an interactive web-based nationwide pool of S&T experts intended to provide technical advice and consultancy services to Filipinos anywhere they are in the Philippines. It is also designed to improve access to experts and technologies particularly by people living outside of the major urban centers where most research and technical institutions are located. In the same manner, OneExpert will likewise bring the services of any accredited expert located anywhere in the Philippines to clients that need S&T assistance. The website can be accessed through https://oneexpert.gov.ph using any desired browser. There are four types of users in the portal, namely:

  1. General public
  2. Registered users
  3. Consultants/Experts
  4. Administrators.

Administrators from the DOST Regional Offices enroll their accredited experts and consultants to the portal. The enrolled experts and consultants need to activate their account, upload their photo, and provide information regarding their specialization and expertise in profile in order to be visible and searchable in the pool of experts. Administrators are also the ones who manage consultancy engagements and provision of technical assistance in the portal. The general public that visits the portal can view basic information of all active experts, but only registered users can view the full profile of the experts, interact with them, and avail of DOST consultancy and technical services. Any visitor with a valid email address can register in the portal in order to access the full features of the portal.

Milestones

  • Establishment of a comprehensive and robust database of S&T Experts. To date, there are 710 experts enrolled in the portal.
  • Development of harmonized guidelines in the implementation of consultancy programs and technology training courses. Prior to OneExpert, the DOST Regional Offices have been implementing their consultancy programs differently in terms of scope, deliverables, procedures, etc.
  • Development of an internet portal, information systems, and mobile apps intended to improve accessibility and delivery of S&T services to MSMEs. OneExpert was able to develop, roll out, and maintain IT-based systems to significantly improve access by MSMEs and the general public to DOST services.

The South Cotabato Integrity Circle (SCIC) is a multi-stakeholder forum and advisory body created by the South Cotabato Provincial Government to eradicate acts of corruption and promote good governance as a strategy towards poverty reduction. Through the Provincial EO No. 10 s. 2015, 21 leaders of equal representation from local government units (LGUs), civil society organizations (CSOs) and the business sector were brought together to form the SCIC. The Integrity Circle was started by the province in 2015 when it was chosen as a pilot LGU of the  Partnership for Integrity and Jobs Project (Project i4J ), an initiative funded by the European Union and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) in building a culture of integrity & transparency in its operations.

Background of the Problem

The formation of SCIC is in line with the Development Framework of South Cotabato that focuses on good governance and integrity in all government services in the province. Through the Executive Order No. 10 s. 2015, the SCIC is mandated to develop and monitor the effective implementation of South Cotabato’s 24 Integrity Mechanisms with the ultimate goal of eliminating irregular practices in government operations. Through its Regular Quarterly Meetings, information and education campaigns, and monitoring activities, the Integrity Circle safeguards the observation of integrity as a culture among public servants and elected officials in the province.

Solution and Impact

The SCIC eradicates acts of corruption and promotes good governance by putting a high premium on transparency, accountability, and quality in the provision of public services in the province. Through the close monitoring of irregularities and standardization of processes, public trust and confidence to the LGU have improved. The renewed trust and confidence of local entrepreneurs inspired them to start and register their businesses, thus, helping the local economy by increasing employment opportunities for the people of South Cotabato. Integrity pacts, duly-approved strategic work plans that highlight automated cueing system, and the observance of Integrity Week every September ensure that the culture of good governance and integrity is made a way of life among public servants and officials in the province.

Because the SCIC was formed through multi-stakeholder representation, the program and the culture of integrity transcends the term of the present elective officials. The provincial-wide adoption of the culture of integrity in public service has resulted in an increase in the number of new businesses registered. With it comes the improvement in employment rate, and gross sales from 2015-2017. Overall, the SCIC has helped the Provincial Government of South Cotabato decrease the poverty incidence in the province by 6.3%.

Milestones

With the SCIC as the forefront of South Cotabato’s efforts to promote integrity in public service, the province has ranked as the 2nd Most Competitive Province in the Philippines in 2017 & one of the top 10 Most Competitive Provinces in 2018. The Project was the selected through a competitive process as the only participant from the Philippines in the Open Government Partnership, an international multilateral initiative that aims to secure concrete commitments from national and subnational governments to promote open government, empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to strengthen governance. The SCIC is one of the Government Best Practice Recognition 2018 awardees.

The project aimed to establish a rating sheet or a scorecard for the mining companies that are using the SHES (Safety and Health, Environmental Protection and Enhancement, and Social Development and Management) performance audit as a tool in benchmarking for continuous improvement in the intensification of responsible mining toward economic development. The SHES scorecard is a concrete and tangible management tool for the government, the public, and the private sectors to gauge the overall performance of a mining company. It also rates or scores mining companies that are top and poor performers in SHES management and are recorded as responsible or irresponsible mining operators. It will then classify mining operations in accordance with their level of SHES management compliance and top performers will eventually set a high standard that will serve as a model which can be emulated by the rest of the pack in the field.

Background and Problem

Mining operations all over the world, just like other industries, are beset with various disasters such as environmental incidents, safety, and negative social impacts on communities. In the Philippines, the MGB has the mandate to monitor and audit the mining companies as to their compliance and performance in the implementation of the approved Safety and Health, Environmental Protection and Enhancement, and Social Development and Management Program. These three pillars are called the SHES management. Currently, the MGB conducts monitoring and auditing of various mining companies as mandated by law. However, the reports generated from these monitoring and auditing activities are descriptive in nature with no distinction between the good and the bad SHES performers and do not consider developmental needs. Hence, the SHES assessment system is not reflective of the company’s actual needs to improve performance and to change the public perception of their SHES performance.

Solution and Impact

With the identified loop holes and discrepancies of the SHES management system, a scorecard or rating system can be used as an instrument in classifying and rating the mining companies in terms of SHES performance. The rating as well as the score will classify and identify which among the mining companies are the top performers on SHES compliance.

It is envisioned that both the good and bad performers will be published through the MGB website. Recognition and incentives will be given to companies with exemplary SHES performance including its initiatives and innovations implemented on the ground. Alternatively, a notice of violation or suspension order is bestowed to the poor performing mining companies to give them time and a chance to shape up in their SHES performance. The SHES scorecard can be one of the solutions that may trigger a change in the industry toward a responsible mining to showcase the classification and rating of mining companies through SHES performance. Once institutionalized and implemented, it is expected that mining companies will be motivated to upgrade their SHES performance, increase their SHES compliance, and in the long run, geared toward a responsible mining industry in the country.

Milestones

Bridging leadership, collaboration, and consultation with various government agencies, the stakeholders and professional experts in the fields of safety and health, environmental management, and social development were tapped for comments and insights in the formulation of the SHES scorecard. The SHES scorecard was pilot tested in three different mining operations namely, metallic, nonmetallic, and mineral processing to evaluate the adaptability, practicality, and usability of the SHES scorecard on the ground.

A Procedural Guideline was also developed for the SHES scorecard to guide the SHES team in conducting, rating, and scoring a mining company.

Note: This initiative is based on the Public Management Development Program (PMDP) Re-Entry Plan of Ms. Rhoda M. Noble of the PMDP Middle Manager Class Batch 5 (Dagitab).

The project was conceived primarily to increase public knowledge on Senate legislative performance. It aimed to develop and use a convenient media for informing the public on Senate legislative performance and other legislative matters. It also addressed the lack of immediate access to measurable performance per individual senator.

Background and Problem

The Senate, together with the House of Representatives, make up the Congress of the Philippines which is vested with legislative powers – the power to make, amend, and repeal laws, as well as the power of appropriation and the power of taxation on the legislature – with a vision of a Senate that is independent, fair, and fearless and a government institution that zealously protects the Constitution, promotes democratic values, and upholds the national interest. However, the absence of a media for informing the public on the measurable legislative performance of senators creates a gap between the performance of the legislators and legislature as well as the level of awareness and information of the general public who is supposed to be the recipient of the legislation being introduced by the legislators.

Solution and Impact

The Senate Legislative Scorecard fills the gap by providing a link to the Senate website (www.senate.gov.ph), particularly the Legislative Information System which is the official repository of legislative performance and statistical data. The user can access any of the ten (10) available tabs of their interest or concern. These tabs or indices are aligned to the ten (10) key areas under the Philippine Development Plan of the executive department: (1) growth; (2) macroeconomic policy; (3) industry and services; (4) agriculture and fisheries; (5) financial system; (6) social development; (7) good governance; (8) peace and security; (9) environment and natural resources; and (10) infrastructure development. Basically, the project aimed to assist the users on determining the thrust of the Senate and/or the individual senator’s priority bills with reference to the agenda of the executive department. The tabs may be changed to align with the key results area of the incumbent executive leadership.

The growing popularity of social media and the increased involvement of the people, especially the civil society, to the affairs of the public service and governance will be factors for the potentially high appreciation for the Senate Legislative Scorecard. The legislators can also take this as an opportunity to present to the general public their accomplishments without being accused of campaigning or grandstanding because these are actual statistical information.

Milestones

The project conducted brainstorming activities with the representatives of the Services Unit (the Bills and Index Service and the Electronic Data Processing-Management and Information System (EDP-MIS) Operations Service as the main players and representatives from the Committee Support Services as optional or secondary players) to determine the desired features of the scorecard . After which, the development of the system commenced which included planning and estimation of resources; analysis and determination of end-user requirements using systems investigation; designing and development of data processing flow and user interface; and construction and execution of plans laid out in the design. Eventually, the system prototype was tested and evaluated.

The scholar presented the project to the Senate leadership. The project was consequently referred to the appropriate offices in the Senate for evaluation and for its eventual inclusion in the Senate website. Continuous monitoring of the status of the proposed project was done and followed by a request of financial allocation for its future development.

Note: This initiative is based on the Public Management Development Program (PMDP) Re-Entry Plan of Mr. Ricardo B. Andrada of the PMDP Middle Manager Class Batch 9 (Hiyas).

The project is generally intended to contribute to the upholding of the rule of law, which is the key result that the OSG pursues. To realize such ultimate objective, the project aims to help in ensuring that justice is effectively and efficiently administered. In particular, the project seeks to: (1) develop a rating system for quality evaluation and monitoring of pleadings; (2) assess and monitor systematically the quality of pleadings; (3) inform lawyers of their work performance based on the result of their ratings; (4) increase work motivation of lawyers; and (5) improve the quality of pleadings.

Background and Problem

The OSG is the law firm of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines with a mission to promote and protect the interest of the State and its people in legal proceedings and such matters requiring legal services. In general, OSG lawyers litigate cases and write pleadings being filed in court. However, an organizational assessment of the Office reveals that it has no internal system that evaluates and measures the quality of pleadings written by lawyers. Poignantly, in the absence of systematic evaluation on this aspect, lawyers may tend to become complacent in their work output, which, in turn, may adversely affect the quality of pleadings. Consequently, a mediocre pleading weakens the winning chance of a case and ultimately jeopardizes the legal interest of the Government of the Philippines or the People of the Philippines as the OSG’s client in legal proceedings.

Solution and Impact

To address the problem, this project was introduced in the Office. Apart from developing a rating system that would evaluate and monitor the quality of pleadings, it was also intended as a feedback mechanism to keep lawyers aware of their work performance based on the result of their ratings; increase their work motivation; and improve the quality of pleadings. Under the Rating System, a set of criteria with corresponding percentage is used as basis to assess the quality of pleadings. It consists of: (a) appreciation of facts and issues of the case (35%); (b) soundness and depth of arguments (45%); and presentation (20%). At the end of each month and quarter, the general weighted average (GWA) of all rated pleadings of a lawyer is obtained and serves as the monthly or quarterly rating of the lawyer, as the case may be, on the quality of his/her work output. The Assistant Solicitor General (ASG), as the rater, may also give remarks on the work output of lawyers. Consequently, after the pilot testing of the Rating System, it was found that lawyers were motivated to write quality pleadings as getting a high rating became an incentive for them to produce a well-written output. It also kept the lawyers aware of the quality of their output as the ratings given by the ASG put measure to the quality of their work. It also gave them an immediate feedback that helped them assess their strengths and weaknesses in legal writing, analyze their work output constantly and determine aspects that could be improved on. Pointedly, it assisted them in improving their legal writing skills and encouraged them to be cautious, efficient and creative in the presentation of their facts and arguments in a pleading. Significantly, the ASGs confirmed the effectiveness of the Rating System as they saw improvement in the quality of pleadings written by lawyers.

Milestones

The project succeeded in: (1) coming up with a set of guidelines of rating system approved by the ASGs and the Solicitor General; (2) having the rating system fully implemented in a legal division; and (3) linking the rating system to the Strategic Performance Management System of lawyers as mandated by the Civil Service Commission.

Note: This initiative is based on the Public Management Development Program (PMDP) Re-Entry Plan of Atty. Jefferson C. Secillano of the PMDP Middle Manager Class Batch 10 (Binhi).

The RBPMS is an integrated tool that serves as a single performance management, monitoring, and measurement system for the Philippine national government agencies (NGAs), government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs), select constitutional commissions, state universities and colleges (SUCs), and water districts, in place of the multiple and disparate performance management systems that were implemented before RBPMS’ implementation. The system primarily seeks to rationalize, harmonize, streamline, simplify, integrate, and unify the performance management systems and activities of oversight government agencies. The RBPMS uses a comprehensive framework that cuts across several performance management levels. It defines various levels of achievements from individual, then collectively to bureau and organizational levels, which together lead to different sectors that ultimately impacts the society.

Background and Problem

Performance monitoring, evaluation, information and reporting are essential components of an effective and efficient performance management system. Performance monitoring and reporting in the public sector, however, vary across departments, offices and agencies with oversight functions that monitor, evaluate and report performance of government agencies and instrumentalities. There are also  many deficiencies and duplication that have been noted in the present performance monitoring systems and processes used by government agencies that have resulted in redundant data, reports in different formats, delay in submissions, inaccurate results, and inefficiencies in performance monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.

Solution and Impact

A collaborative mechanism was developed among oversight agencies, through Administrative Order No. 25 series of 2011, to establish a unified and integrated RBPMS across all departments and agencies incorporating a common set performance scorecard, and at the same time, creating an accurate, accessible, and up-to-date government-wide, sectoral, and organizational performance information system. The Organizational Performance Indicators Framework (OPIF) and the Results Matrix (RM) were the underlying frameworks of the RBPMS, which are used by all government agencies mandated to exercise broad oversight over the performance of all agencies in the government. The Administrative Order also includes the creation of an Inter-Agency Task Force chaired by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), with the DAP as the secretariat as well as its technical resource institution. The harmonized RBPMS is likewise used as basis for determining entitlement: to performance-based allowances, incentives, and/or compensation of government personnel. On account of Executive Order No. 80, series of 2012, the Performance-Based Incentive System (PBIS) for Government Employees was adopted which consists of the Productivity Enhancement Incentive(PEI) and the Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) to complement the RBPMS and recognize and reward commendable accomplishments by agencies and individual employees linked with actual performance. Compared to the performance management systems (PMS) of other countries, the Philippines is the only country that injected an incentive system to its PMS.

Milestones

For the past five years, the PBIS has achieved the following:

  1. High participation of agencies

The RBPMS provided a mechanism for government agencies to track their performance in achieving their commitments. From 96 percent in 2012, the PBB participation rate has increased to 99 percent to include almost all national agencies with the exclusion of the Commission of Elections and the Congress (Senate and House of Representatives).

  1. Increased compliance to governance standards

The RBPMS framework challenged government agencies and employees to adhere to existing laws and regulations promoting fiscal transparency and process accountability. The implementation of PBB has encouraged agencies to comply with good governance conditions such as budget and procurement disclosures, liquidation of cash advances, and the Anti-Red Tape program. Meanwhile, the compliance rate on Quality Management System – ISO Certification/Operations Manual, Annual Procurement Plan, and Agency Procurement Compliance and Performance Indicators System slightly declined from 2015 to 2016.

  1. Better understanding of agency roles and mandates

Agencies participating in PBIS have developed a better understanding of their respective roles and mandates. Since the accomplishment of Major Final Outputs is one of the PBB criteria, employees had become more aware of their roles and how it impacts to the achievement of their MFOs.

  1. Improvements in the quality of performance indicators

PBIS has encouraged the shift from measuring quantity in outputs to using quality and timeliness performance indicators and targets which is a more strategic indicator of the impact of public sector services. It has also pushed the agencies to track their performance indicators and their achievements of good governance conditions and post them on their websites.

  1. Improvements in management practices

RBPMS had been a guiding tool to ensure that individual and organizational performances are aligned to the national agenda. It also promoted collaboration and team work within the agencies.

Testimonials

Based from the study of the World Bank Group titled “Republic of the Philippines – Improving Bureaucratic Performance: Assessment of the Performance- Based Bonus Scheme” that surveyed 4,500 Philippine government officials from eight departments to gauge the impact of the PBB on these staff perceptions, it was found out that:

  • Agency indicators and targets are clearer and better with PBB.
  • 70% agreed that PBB is a good idea.
  • Internal processes in agencies improved through the help of PBB.
  • PBB has induced improvements in management practices: greater teamwork, better target setting and monitoring, and fostering trust within units.
  • Teachers believe that the PBB is having a positive impact on recruitment.

Furthermore, based on the testimonials of some participants from the series of orientations conducted by the AO25 secretariat, it was shared that:

  • “Now, we have an accurate reporting and evaluation system.”
  • “Now we have an easier process of monitoring programs because of it is more rational and employees are more goal oriented.”
  • “Employees are aware of their performance.”
  • “Performance now has a sense of accountability.”
  • “PBB reminded us of our responsibility to the public.”

Official Website

The official RBPMS website which can be accessed at http://www.dap.edu.ph/rbpms/.

The CSIS Utilization Conference is an avenue to formally present the CSIS results to the local government functionaries and other stakeholders. It aims to inform local government units (LGUs) and other participants, including representatives from civil societies, academe, and national government agencies, on the value of the collected feedback from a cross-section of the population regarding the different assessments on the availability, reach, and quality of local public services. All stakeholders were encouraged to participate in the discussion of the results in the context of their knowledge on local development issues.

Background and Problem

The DILG envisions LGUs that are self-reliant, development-centered, safe, peaceful, socially protective, business-friendly, environmentally protective, as well as transparent, accountable, and participative. In scaling up local government performance in these areas, it is not enough that LGUs have the internal capacity of providing services. The greater challenge is for LGUs to ensure that their service delivery performance is felt by their constituents, satisfying their needs, and meeting expectations in improving their quality of life. The DILG has been utilizing performance measurement tools for LGUs as early as the 1980s. As local governance is a vast domain in terms of conceptual breadth, interventions were focused on building the internal capacity of LGUs and on developing outcome indicators on a number of thematic performance areas. Despite having the Local Governance Performance Management System and thematic performance audits in place, like the Seal of Good Local Governance, there was a need for a performance measurement tool that will incorporate the citizens’ perspective in the equation as the ultimate fulfillment of the rationale of government providing public services.

Solution and Impact

To address the said issue, the CSIS was conceptualized and eventually implemented to serve as a tool for drawing in applicable information for gauging citizen satisfaction. Local Resource Institutes (LRIs), or local academic institutions that offer research and extension services, are commissioned to undertake the CSIS fieldwork and report generation protocols. They also assisted in presenting the technical details of the CSIS survey results during the utilization conference, as well as share their experiences in undertaking the protocols of the CSIS vis-à-vis the requirements of the project. Then, the representatives from the DILG central and/or regional/field offices presented an overview of the theories, concepts, procedures, and leadership perspectives on the CSIS. The CSIS Utilization Conference contributed in transforming the mindset of local government officials and functionaries towards viewing citizen feedback as information for identifying policy and program decisions. The conference also put the citizens at the center of planning and implementation, and in assessing results and impact of programs and services. The CSIS, through the Conference, scaled up the focus of performance management from internal measures to external and client-based assessment measures. It entailed delving on the impact of local public policies, expenditure, and program/service implementation. It is expected that responsive governance would increase citizen’s satisfaction that will be supported by the CSIS surveys for the succeeding years. It was also envisioned that the CSIS Utilization Conference model could also be replicated in other DILG-managed projects that generate data on LGU performance in different areas of governance.

Milestones

The CSIS has covered 140 cities from 2013 to 2015. These surveys were fully subsidized by the DILG, while subsequent implementation of surveys are targeted to be funded by the LGUs. DILG central, regional and field office staff who are involved in the CSIS implementation are trained with LRIs to have a better understanding on the concept, theories, data gathering and processing protocols, and reporting, monitoring and evaluation results relating to CSIS. The DILG field officers helped explain to concerned local chief executives and local officials the results of the CSIS survey, prior to the conduct of Utilization Conferences.  

Conduct of the CSIS Utilization Conferences in Region III and CARAGA.
Representatives from other Bureaus and Services, including the Commission on Audit, are also invited to participate in the conferences and other CSIS activities to share useful data/information and for appreciation on how the implementation cycle works, with the Utilization Conference as the culminating activity. The planning workshop on the formulation of the Citizen-Driven Priority Action Plan (CPAP) is an essential part of the Utilization Conference. Facilitated by DILG staff, this activity enabled the participants to translate policy directions into specific activities, and to determine the outputs, resources needed, and accountabilities. The output of the workshop is the CPAP, which is a set of initiatives programmed to address the service delivery gaps based on the citizen satisfaction survey results. The interventions are expected to be completed within the term of the local officials but may be expanded to long-term goals and targets for the LGU to undertake.  
Turnover of CSIS results to the local government of Pateros.
The workshop is followed by a ceremonial agreement signing through a Pledge of Commitment between the DILG, LGUs, and civil society organizations (CSOs). The LGUs committed to undertake the items in the plan. The DILG committed to provide technical assistance to the LGUs in implementing the identified interventions, and with the CSO partners, monitor the implementation and outcomes of those interventions, in terms of success in addressing the gaps. A monitoring and evaluation process proceeded after a year from the approval of the CPAP.  
The signing of the pledge of commitment during CSIS Utilization Conferences held at Regions VI, IX, and XII.

Motivated by the national government’s efforts toward Universal Healthcare “Kalusugan Pangkalahatan”, PHC embarked on an ambitious program to provide greater access to specialized cardiovascular care by enabling existing regional medical centers to serve as regional heart centers. Regional medical centers are supported with manpower expertise, heart surgery equipment and supplies, vital endorsements to the Department of Health for infrastructure funding, and endorsement to PhilHealth Z-benefit for accreditation.

Background and Problem

Driven by their shared desire to improve the health status of the Filipino people, the PHC provides comprehensive cardiovascular care enhanced by education and research that is accessible to all. In the past years, cardiovascular treatments, especially surgery for heart disease, was concentrated in big hospitals in the Greater Manila Area due to lack of confidence of local medical practitioners for specialized procedures.  There is, however, a long waiting list for surgery usually lasting for 3-5 years.

Solution and Impact

PHC conceptualized a strategic initiative to decentralize cardiovascular care to the regions. To increase access to cardiovascular care in the country, bringing the “brand” of PHC (i.e. patient-focused and compassionate care) to the regions were necessary. Performing pilot procedures as proof of concept was not the real goal of PHC. Enabling these regional heart centers to perform procedures independently with the shortest possible incubation period is the structured and definitive program for PHC. The maturity scale designed by PHC for the certification of PhilHealth Health Care Institutions (HCI) both private and government will be used to evaluate the capabilities to serve as regional heart centers. The impact for stakeholders was numerous, especially for patients.  No balance bill for cardiac surgery among PhilHealth members assured government subsidy to the marginalized; and reduced costs by 50 percent at 100 to 200 thousand pesos for those who can afford. “Kalusugan Pangkalahatan” for all Filipinos was felt by the Filipinos for heart surgery. Training of physicians to practice in the regions was also encouraged. The leadership commitment for regional hospitals has gained ten (10) surgical missions in the last three years since 2013, with 148 patients operated and 60 personnel trained (for both nurses and doctors).

Milestones

The initial five regional heart centers were:

  1. Southern Philippines Medical Center (Davao, Southern Mindanao, Region XI)
  2. Northern Mindanao Medical Center (Cagayan de Oro, Region X)
  3. Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (Cebu, Central Visayas, Region VII)
  4. Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (Legazpi, Region V)
  5. Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (Batac, Ilocos Norte, Northern Luzon, Region I).

A five year development plan through a Memorandum of Agreement was signed with the regional hospitals. Ten outreach open heart surgeries have been performed in all five regional heart centers and interventional catheter-based device closures in Bicol, Cebu, and Davao. For each mission, at least 20 personnel were sent.

The training of cardiovascular specialists for all these five centers have been prioritized so that candidates for highly competitive training slots in cardiovascular surgery, adult and pediatric cardiology, perfusion, and critical care nursing will be accepted in their requested programs provided that they commit to return to their regional centers. Full support for pilot procedures was extended to all regional centers with the dispatch of multiple heart teams capable of simultaneous cases including complete heart equipment and supplies for the recent Region I open heart surgery mission.

To ensure sustainability, these regional heart centers have been endorsed for certification for the PhilHealth Z-Benefit program which provides financial subsidy for cardiac surgery. PHC also strengthened linkages through institutional partnerships with private organizations that are supportive of PHC vision. A Multi-Sectoral Governance Coalition (MSGC- Heartlink) was established with institutional partners like Mending Kids International, Children’s Heart Foundation, and Philippine Airlines.

The objective of the project is to increase the production of the updated 1:50,000 scale topographic maps and to exceed the client satisfaction rating target of 87 percent required in NAMRIA Quality Manual through the improvement and implementation of work process based on the current resources of the agency – people, hardware, and software—that will facilitate mapping efficiency. This includes a shift in systems technology which the agency has already acquired, as well as understanding or use of the modern equipment/software to become more efficient in data/map production.

Background and Problem

The NAMRIA is the central mapping agency of the Philippines. It plays an important role in nation-building by providing the maps for all planning, budget scope, and strategic changes in the country. One of its major final outputs (MFO) is the topographic map use for development planning, hazard mapping, military strategic planning, academic study, and others. For NAMRIA to contribute significantly to the programs, activities, and projects of the government, the need to efficiently produce the whole set of topographic map in the least amount of time is necessary to provide the general public the needed data. The Cartography Division is directly in charge of producing the 1:50,000 scale topographic maps. Map production involves a meticulous process that depends on the cartographer, hardware, and map-making software. However, the current work process shows gaps among personnel, software use, and hardware needs. The problems include duplication of activities in the process, inappropriate assignments given to the personnel which affect their efficiency, and the need for upgrade on hardware and software compatibility.

Solution and Impact

To address the problem, the project set the following deliverables:

  • technical personnel competency assessment instrument/form;
  • results of the technical personnel assessment including action plan for staff development and employee engagement;
  • hardware assessment report;
  • personnel performance measures through the monitoring form; and
  • re-designed work process.

The project’s intended results are enhanced internal efficiency, increased organizational performance, improved service delivery. and improved client satisfaction rating in map production.

Milestones

During the implementation period, these activities were undertaken:

  • creation of project committee and conduct of meetings;
  • preparation, administration, and analysis of competency-based and employee engagement survey;
  • inventory and evaluation of hardware and software;
  • conduct of workshop on cartographic enhancement;
  • review, analysis, and re-engineering of topographic base mapping work process;
  • modification of personnel performance measure via the monthly performance monitoring form; and
  • monitoring and evaluation of the new process.

Note: This initiative is based on the Public Management Development Program (PMDP) Re-Entry Plan of Ms. Jane V. Roque of the PMDP Middle Manager Class Batch 4 (Bato-Balani).

The PHC Performance Governance System’s (PGS) main goal is to bring the hospital strategy down to the employees in all services, encouraging each one to contribute to the realization of the goals as set in PHC’s 26 balanced scorecard measures. With PGS, compliance to lead measures are monitored daily and the effect on breakthrough results are monitored weekly.   

Background and Problem

The PHC was conceived and continues to function as a specialty hospital for heart surgery and cardiovascular interventions. However, the many challenges in cardiovascular care delivery convinced the PHC leadership and its executive committee to refresh the governance charter and adapt a clear strategic plan which will provide a roadmap and guide for future program direction, sensitive to the ever changing healthcare environment. Such roadmap can remain consistent despite the series of management change to ensure that the development of new programs are still aligned with the PHC mission as well as any future directions from the Philippine Department of Health.

Solution and Impact The PHC-PGS, focusing on individual compliance from employees in all services to unit breakthroughs, has maintained overall outstanding performance (133% accomplishment).  By the innate nature wherein each unit has a scoreboard to which compliance is noted per employee per division, PGS becomes innovative. Now, performance is not based on the usual attendance and routine office work but by the duty in which the office has been created, where performance is monitored against fixed and defined measures and targets. While most hospitals would have a quality assessment management office, up to this writing, only PHC as a Government-Owned and –Controlled Corporation and after 40 years of existence, has adopted the PGS. Each employee has now a conscious effort on how to contribute to the attainment of unit lead measures for hospital breakthrough targets on excellent healthcare delivery for all. PHC-PGS won the Excellence Award of the Hospital Management Asia last August 2013. It also received the Silver Trailblazer Award after an oral revalida last 2015. Because of the PGS process, validated by an external audit, PHC received a citation as an “Island of Good Governance” during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit last November, 2015.

Milestones

Rapid cascading sessions were conducted for all departments. All units drafted their 2nd level breakthrough targets and lead measures. Each of the scoreboards were plotted to directly or indirectly affect the 26 measures in the Balanced Scorecard on the following perspectives:  (1) social impact, (2) people empowerment, (3) internal process, and (4) organization and fund resources.  Last July 2013, a hospital-wide Unit Scoreboard Launching was conducted. Weekly breakthrough meetings are conducted eventually and the Office of Strategy Management (OSM) monitored the results. Commitments to improve breakthrough results are done immediately during the meetings when the target is not attained and each individual commits to attain the unit goal.

By the end of December 2013, 81 percent of the units had winning scoreboards, with more than 100 percent accomplishment; while 14 percent have at least 90 percent accomplishment. From 2014 to 2015, all units have drafted their scoreboards, with an increase of 5 to 10 percent breakthrough targets per year. All the strategic units have functional cascading frameworks. Second-level scoreboards were validated from the three services– Medical, Nursing, and Administrative. Copies of third-level dashboards/ scoreboards of each department are submitted to the OSM. Presence of individual scorecards are also noted per division and submitted bi-annually to the human resource department. Institutional monitoring of the balanced scorecard is done quarterly.