Category: Service Quality

Summary

Being responsible for and committed to professionalism, development and empowerment of the City Government’s human resource, the City Human Resource Management Office (CHRMO) launched this best practice to address concerns on the negative customer feedback relative to the delivery of our services and to more importantly, improve service delivery. With many departments directly dealing with the public, including the Offices of the City Health, City Civil Registrar, City Treasurer among others, it is imperative that customers who deal with the City Government of Zamboanga are satisfied with the level of service provided to them. This project impacts upon the entire City Government of Zamboanga (CGZ) with its twenty-three (23) offices/departments and about three thousand eight hundred sixty (3,860) employees.

More importantly, with the introduction of this service philosophy, it is the transacting public that benefits the most in terms of more customer-focused services. This project was initiated by Dr. Jane C. Bascar, which started in 2015. It aims at total customer satisfaction through the service philosophy: “Servicio Sincero, Nuay Otro Dia Este Lang.” Since the CHRMO believes there is no better opportunity to “WOW our customers with sincere service than NOW,” each employee is encouraged not to put off till tomorrow what can be done today and to make every encounter a pleasant experience for our customers. “NOW” may be our only chance to create a lasting positive impression on our clients.

Background and Problem

The CHRMO’s Best Practice aims to emphasize and communicate to all CGZ offices the value of providing excellent customer services, elevate the standard of customer service in the CGZ leading to more satisfied customers, and create a more positive impression towards government service among the transacting public. This best practice sprang from the CGZ’s desire to improve service delivery given the generally poor impression of the transacting public relative to government services as a whole. During the Civil Service Commission IX Assessment on ARTA Compliance, the CGZ received some negative/critical feedback from clients such as the lack of care, patience, consideration and urgency when attending to clients. In 2015, the Public Assistance and Complaints Desk (PACD) was operationalized and the “No Noon Break Policy” was also strengthened. A year after, all offices were required to post their Citizen’s Charter and staff were required to wear IDs/Nameplates.

Solution and Impact

The CHRMO seeks to continuously design programs promoting a culture of employee engagement and quality customer service. The biggest motivation to effect a change in employee attitude and perspective on how best to serve customers was the CSC assessment results. Thus, the CHRMO actively promoted its service philosophy of “Servicio Sincero, Nuay Otro Dia Este Lang or “WOW NOW” anchored on the following interventions:

  • Adoption of G.E.T.S. which means, Greet, Maintain Eye Contact, Say Thank you and Smile (Adopted from PNB)
  • Operationalization of the Public Assistance and Complaints Desk (PACD)
  • Constant and continuous Values Orientation and Work Ethics Workshop to city employees
  • Posting of and strict compliance to the Citizens Charter

The sustained and consistent implementation of these interventions aims at instilling the right attitude and values in employees and helping them acquire the desired competencies to give our clients the best service. Improvement in the delivery of basic services will lead to a higher degree of customer satisfaction and will eventually shift public perception on the CGZ to a more positive one, thus building a sense of trust in the CGZ and improving its credibility among its clients.

Milestones

A remarkable result from the implementation of the Best Practice was the positive feedback from CSC Commissioner Atty. Aileen Lourdes Lizada during her surprise inspection in the City Government of Zamboanga last October 4, 2019 to check on the compliance with Civil Service Rules in Government Offices. Commissioner Lizada noted several best practices of the CGZ like the wearing of ID, the Public Assistance and Complaints Desk (PACD) located at the entrance of the City Hall and the presence of an institutionalized HR department. Continuous implementation of these initiatives is a must.

Built as a response to the problem of informal settler families (ISFs) who were also victims of Typhoon Ondoy in 2009, the Disiplina Village is the first in-city relocation site and public rental housing project for ISFs in the country. With the vision of benchmarking good quality housing units dedicated to building an empowered community with disaster-prepared and responsible homeowners, the city government of Valenzuela pushed for the construction of the biggest in-city relocation program in the country. With a total of 12.9 hectares, the Disiplina Villages in Ugong and Bignay accommodate more than 4,500 informal settler families, clearing up Valenzuela City from ISFs living in danger zones.

The Disiplina Villages are also complete communities – providing residents with access to schools, health centers, and even a city hall annex. Residents also have community vegetable farms for their consumption and additional income. A unique component of their program is the Home Space Agreeement which the LGU of Valenzuela City uses to instill discipline to its residents for long-lasting, more disaster-resilient communities with families that are well aware and prepared from impacts of natural calamities.

Background and Problem

Sufficient, proper and safe housing is a basic human right. In the case of many Filipinos, however, housing security has become a privilege more than a right. The problem of Informal Settler Families (ISFs) in the country, most especially in the Metropolitan Manila, has become more and more rampant through the years that more viable solutions are needed to be set forth. The onslaught of typhoon Ondoy in September 2009 posed a greater challenge for the national government to solve the problem of ISFs, particularly in the Metropolis.

In Valenzuela City alone, close to a thousand informal settler families living in danger zones, particularly those along the banks of TullahanRiver, have been affected. As an immediate response, the local government called on the private sector to help in providing them with better and safer living condition in a community they can call their own.

Solution and Impact

The overwhelming response of the private sector paved the way for the establishment of the only LGU-initiated housing project for the typhoon Ondoy victims, the Disiplina Village in Barangay Ugong. The Valenzuela City Government donated the 1.9 hectare property while the private sector helped build the units. The first implementation of this project has accorded some 890 ISFs with safer and more decent homes, quality basic services, values formation and other programs to restore human dignity. However, Disiplina Village Ugong was not enough to accommodate ISFs needing a disaster-resilient home. Through the 2015 Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS), Valenzuela City found out that there are still more than 3,000 ISFs in Valenzuela living in danger zones that need to be saved from imminent dangers due to their location and instability of their homes. As a response, The city government built the second Disiplina Village site, Disiplina Village Bignay (DVB).

The Disiplina Villages are the first in-city relocation sites that are complete communities. Disiplina Village Ugong has its own Day Care Center, high school and elementary school, and health facilities. Disiplina Village Bignay, on the other hand, with its own city hall annex or the Sentro ng Sama-SamangSerbisyo (3S Center) that has a health center, police community precinct, fire substation, barangay hall, daycare center, elementary school and high school. There is also an Activity center/covered court and mini park where residents can spend their leisure time and children their play time. The residents also started their own community vegetable farm for their own consumption and additional income.

The construction of the Disiplina Village Transport Terminal, Public Market and Chapel is underway. This is the biggest in-city public rental housing project in the country. With a PhP300 rental fee a month, it is considered as the lowest rental rate in the country, much lower compared to other public housing projects at about PhP 700 to PhP 3,000 or to a private apartment unit of the same floor area at about PhP 3,000 to PhP 4,000 a month. One unique component in the implementation of the program is the Home Space Agreement which binds the beneficiaries to the City Government’s policies and subjects them to the Eviction Guidelines. The said agreement is renewable yearly after a mid-year and year-end assessment. The Eviction Guidelines:

  1. That the residents take care of the units and no alteration should be
  2. That they maintain good relations with their neighbors
  3. That they comply faithfully with their obligations: least, utility bills,
  4. That they participate in the “sweat equity”

The beneficiary family’s sweat equity contribution, which includes partaking in the construction of the building units or site safekeeping and maintenance for at least 500 hours is one of the conditions for the availment of the housing units. With this, it is assured that only disciplined and cooperative residents who are ready to welcome change stay in the housing projects. Now with a total of 12.9 hectares, the Disiplina Villages Ugong and Bignayaccommodate more than 4,500 informal settler families, clearing up Valenzuela City from ISFs living in danger zones.

Milestones

The success of the program is not only evident in the positive feedbacks that the city government of Valenzuela is receiving from its constituents and other localities but is also demonstrated by the following indicators: The birth of the Disiplina Village also ignited the participation of private sectors, non- government organizations and national government agencies. San Miguel Corporation (SMC), through its social development arm, San Miguel Foundation, Inc. (SMF), donated PhP 45 Million, at PhP 15 Million per year for the next three years, as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility program to build more than 300 units. MERALCO, through its Corporate Social Responsibility arm, One Meralco Foundation, has partnered with the city government in providing energy to light the housing buildings. They have been lighting Disiplina Village since October of 2011. PhP 13.8 Million pipe-laying project in partnership with Maynilad was also completed in May 2012 for the Disiplina Village Ugong. Both villages have electricity and power connection. Moreover, Gawad Kalinga organized values formation programs, implementation of the community development plan and mentoring of the community leaders towards self-governance.

The National Housing Authority also came into the program and helped build over 250 more units in DV Ugong and the stretch of the Tullahan easement which covers barangays Malinta, Marulas, Gen. T. De Leon and Ugong that has been a home to almost 2,000 families has been cleared. A total of 1,806 ISFs from danger zones have already been relocated and are now living in safer and better homes with the remaining 2,757 to transfer in the coming months. With this, it is assured that all ISFs living in danger zones will have better communities and homes to live in. Through the efforts of the local government and the homeowners, six-year old DV- Ugong still looks newly-built compared to other housing projects which look dilapidated after only a couple of months.

Above all, the attitudes of the former informal settler beneficiaries have changed. From tragedy victims, they are now empowered model families living in model communities and a character village with disciplined residents. Their perception of themselves and their community has changed. Their outlook transformed from the typical “squatter” to “responsible and disciplined homeowners” attitude; from “walangpakialam” to “may pagsasamahan.” With ownership of the program instilled to the beneficiaries themselves, the Disiplina Villages are to remain model communities for once informal settler families in dangerous living conditions.

Summary

The Financial Supervision Sector Bank Dashboard (FSS Bank DB) is an automated, ready reference material of key financial and non-financial information about individual banks. It is a dynamic platform that contains information source from regular reports submitted to the Department of Supervisory Analytics as well as qualitative inputs source from regular reports submitted to the Department of Supervisory analytics as well as qualitative inputs.

Background and Problem

The FSS Bank dashboard was created to meet the following objectives:

  • To enhance the existing process of how an institution is being evaluated in the preparation of an Institutional Overview (10) which is crucial in planning out the examination approach for banks.
  • To provide the management a snapshot of individual bank performances highlighting its condition, business model and brewing trends.

Prior to the introduction of the bank dashboard, examiners were compelled to produce voluminous write ups regarding the condition of banks subject for examination. With the dashboard, this process was standardized and automated highlighting essential financial and non-financial information.

Solution and Impact

The steps done to start and implement the FSS Dashboard were identification and selection of key financial and non-financial information that will form part of the dashboard, creation of a dynamic excel base template with various visual aids where these selected data will be represented, and creation of a program that will transfer and filter extracted data from submitted banks reports to create individual bank dashboard. Financial statistics sourced from various bank reports including other non-financial information undergoes a data mining process through SAS EG. The process filters all needed information from these reports into a master file. Containing all needed information about banks, an in-house developed program extracts data from the master file, joins it with the qualitative inputs from Financial Supervision Departments and transfers this combined information to a specialized template. The template, an excel file containing formulated cells and groupings, organizes bank information to a one-page summary known as the FSS Bank DB. The benefits of this project include the following:

  • The FSS Dashboard enhanced the process by which IOs of banks are being prepared through graphical representations of the bank’s financial data and qualitative inputs (i.e. risk profile and supervisory approach, supervisory rating and qualitative assessment).
  • The FSS Dashboard also improves the accuracy of processed information through its automated nature
  • The FSS Dashboard reduces the time and effort exerted in manually creating individual graph presentations that could have been used by bank examiners in data analytics.

Milestones

With the FSS Dashboard, the 10 was standardized. The preparation time bank examiner allocates for the crafting of write ups and graphs was substantially reduced giving them more time to focus on the analyzation process. The FSS Dashboard was awarded the 2018 BSP PRAISE Award. The BSP Praise award is given to recognize projects/initiatives that resulted in process improvement or enhancement and was done on top of their BAU. Moving forward, the FSS Dashboard is being envisioned to be incorporated with more advance technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (i.e. Application Programming Interface) and Big Data Analysis.

AlkanSSSya is a play on the Filipino word “alkansya” (piggy bank) and the triple-S for SSS as the implementing agency. The AlkanSSSya program was designed to fit the informal sector workers’ way of life and to make saving for monthly SSS premiums affordable. The AlkanSSSya is akin to a huge filing cabinet with around 160 individual boxes or coin slots that can be locked and in which the informal sector workers drop daily amounts in their designated slots. Once a month, the informal sector group (ISG) officers, with the guidance and monitoring of the assigned SSS account officers (AO), would open the individual boxes and count up the amounts saved. Once enough is collected for a month’s contribution, ISG officers fill up the SSS payment form, remit the payment to SSS through a third-party collecting agency or a bank.

Background and Problem

Recognizing the informal sector (IS) as an economic contributor and employment generator, SSS deemed it necessary to extend social security coverage to this sector. Increasing social security coverage among the informal sector became one of SSS’ priority programs. Attempts to cover the IS through simplified and affordable saving schemes through banks failed because participation was low. This could be attributed to the IS workers’ common fear of transacting with banks due to perceived formality and tediousness of the process.

Formal sector workers have employers who shoulder part of the SSS contributions and handle their remittance, while IS workers must shoulder both contribution and remittance. SSS addressed the IS aversion to formal banking transactions and reluctance to be absent from work just to transact. It also recognized the irregularity of IS workers’ incomes, particularly the periods with very low or no income, when their sustenance needs take precedence over social security contributions. In 2011, the SSS Las Piñas Branch developed a solution to cover and collect from self- employed members with irregular income, like tricycle drivers hired to ply passengers on routes that common passenger vehicles do not service.

Known as “TrikanSSSya”, it involved the monthly collection of social security contributions from tricycle drivers, who make deposits of Php10 to Php20 daily in a giant steel box installed at the tricycle terminal. TrikanSSSya expanded in 2012 to cover other IS workers who can join through their workers’ associations or ISGs and renamed “AlkanSSSya”, a play on the Filipino word alkansya (piggy bank) and the triple-S for SSS as the implementing agency.

Solution and Impact

AlkanSSSya program was designed to fit the IS workers’ way of life and to make saving for monthly SSS premiums affordable. The ISG members are registered as Self-Employed members and required to meet the Php3,000 monthly salary credit, which translates to a Php330 monthly contribution. IS workers can declare a higher monthly income than the required minimum, and contribute higher amounts for a higher monthly salary credit. The partnership between SSS and ISGs necessitates their officers’ learning new skills to ensure the smooth implementation of the coverage program. The ISG officers must gradually master the proper accounting of the collection, filling up of the payment form, and the remittance of accumulated contributions to the nearest SSS collecting agent. Aside from providing SSS-related service to their assigned employers, SSS AOs are also focused on meeting collection targets and ensuring employers’ compliance to the SS Law.

Since the mandate of expanding informal sector coverage was handed to AOS in the branches, this would necessitate a big change in their mindsets by also treating ISGs similar to corporate employers who have duties and obligations related to SSS. SSS AOs must sufficiently monitor their assigned ISGs for their continuing compliance to the program, especially the accurate accounting and remittance of the contributions collection. They must also ensure that the IS workers’ drive and enthusiasm for saving does not wane, thus, AOs must develop skills in motivation and persuasion. The AlkanSSSya program’s sustainability is premised on several factors: a fixed or continuing means of livelihood; an organization to handle the administrative tasks; and community support to successfully change the attitudes of members towards the act of saving, as part of their normal or daily obligation. SSS has provided the means for daily savings within the IS workers’ reach.

Peer pressure within the ISG can also influence members to fulfill their obligations. In extreme cases when the worker has more pressing needs and cannot meet the monthly target amount, the ISG can help fill the shortage by advancing the amount or sharing the needed amount among themselves, the embodiment of the Filipino concept of “Bayanihan” or community effort. Finally, the program can be sustained through synergy with local government units (LGUs) in helping organize ISGs, funding the fabrication of their AlkanSSSya units or helping the IS workers obtain identification documents needed for SSS registration.

Milestones

Since the start of the AlkanSSSya Program up to end – April 2018, SSS has partnered with 1,421 different groups and has successfully registered 105,874 members. In terms of contributions, at least P685.12 million have been collected with a monthly average collection of P13.74 million. SSS was awarded by the Asean Social Security Association for the AlkanSSSya Program under the “Innovation Excellence” category in September 2015. Also, the International Social Security Association (ISSA) awarded the SSS under its “Moving Towards Inclusive Growth” with a Certificate of Merit with Special Mention during the ISSA Good Practice Awards for Asia and the Pacific in Oman last November 2015. In October 2017, the program was again recognized in the 2017 Government Best Practice Award given by the Development Academy of the Philippines.

The project aimed to increase the knowledge of the youth of Ubay, Bohol about reproductive health and sexual issues, and to improve their self-esteem for them to harness the capability on deciding to abstain from premarital sex. The project sought to guide, equip, arm, and capacitate the youth for them to develop a stronger stance against becoming a victim of the negative consequences of an unwanted pregnancy.

Background and Problem

Teenage pregnancy is a reproductive health issue that needs to be addressed because failure to do so can severely affect the achievement of the sectoral and societal goal of the DOH.  Both the health and economic problem can affect the youth and her family because of unwanted pregnancy. The eventual maternal complication of teenage pregnancy, maternal death, and poor neonatal outcome can ensue. Teenage pregnancy also brings about social burden of incipient poverty. According to the World Bank, the Philippines is among the top ten countries where there are an increasing number of teenage mothers. In Ubay, Bohol, 20 percent of the population is comprised by 11 to 18 year old group. In Don Emilio Del Valle Memorial Hospital (DEDVMH), for example, there were 117 recorded cases of teenage pregnancy admitted which represents a 234 percent growth over a period of three years admitted in the same hospital. After conducting a problem tree analysis, it was found out that the lack or absence of information program about teenage pregnancy in Ubay was the possible cause of the rising trajectory in the admissions of teenage pregnancy in DEDVMH. Because of the absence of a preventive program, the teenagers in Ubay practice low abstinence to early sexual practices and have low motivation to actualize their academic and leadership potentials. The problem is high and is continually rising as noted in the past decade.

Solution and Impact

In order to address the problem, a two-armed approach is employed which are as follows:

  • Specifically designed and presented materials disseminated using the Internet and social media. The material’s content includes answers to frequently asked reproductive health questions by the youth. Economic and social impact and health facts about teenage pregnancy were also incorporated to emphasize its consequences; and
  • Self-esteem building activities such as trust building sessions and sports are offered and conducted in the schools and youth centers to build the inner fortress of positive values that the youth can draw from. Using new and refreshed values, they can decide against engaging in risky sexual behavior and say NO to early sexual practices or premarital sex that could lead to unwanted pregnancy.

Four hundred fifty four (454) students aged 10 to 19 from seven barangays and eight schools in Ubay, Bohol were given pretest to measure their knowledge on reproductive issues and value formation. The pre-test results demonstrated poor information about the negative economic and health consequences of teenage pregnancy among the responders. High exposure to sexual materials on the Internet and social media was also revealed. The youth showed low values formation. Their knowledge on the reproductive health issues was also weak. The post-test conducted after 3 months showed an increase in the awareness of the study subjects about reproductive health issues as well as negative consequences of teenage pregnancy.  Eventually, seventy-seven percent (77%) of them signed an abstinence to sex commitment form.

Milestones

The project has four (4) phases: initiation, planning, implementation, and closeout. During the initiation phase, a memorandum of agreement was prepared and signed after the initial focus group discussion with collaborating agencies and the selection of the technical working group members. The memorandum gave permission to conduct activities to the primary beneficiaries. After which, identification of stakeholders and partners was done. The team members and the resource person for youth self-esteem building were also identified. Finalization of information content for the website and webinar was done, as well as the communication plan, supplies and logistics, training needs for information technology and youth leaders, and capacity building of the team.

Meetings about the objectives of the project were conducted with the team, stakeholders, and youth groups and leaders, followed by an evaluation and monitoring of the project activities.

Note: This initiative is based on the Public Management Development Program (PMDP) Re-Entry Plan of Dr. Mutya Kismet T. Macuno of the PMDP Middle Manager Class Batch 4 (Bato-Balani).

The LGU of Carmona, through its Information Technology (IT) Unit, initiated the development and implementation of the Electronic Business Permit and Licensing System (eBPLS) which offers end-users with innovative features to make the business permit process more accurate and speedy. The system introduces a systematic approach to streamline the business permit and licensing process of the LGU.

Background and Problem

The LGU envisions to be a premier investment hub in the province of Cavite, with ecologically balanced community and fast growing economy steered by empowered citizenry and dynamic leadership. However, a number of complaints were received by the LGU in terms of business permit and licensing service because of its slow processing and release which tends to decrease clients’ satisfaction and eventually impact economic growth within the locality. Inefficiency in delivering the said service was also rampant in other cities which led to the simple automation established through the Business One-Stop-Shop (BOSS) mandated by the national government to LGUs.

Solution and Impact

From a simple automation process, the LGU makes use of its IT Unit to realize the impact of integrating information and communications technology to the daily operations of the LGU. The eBPLS has become a useful tool to support the LGU’s effective management of information in terms of speedy knowledge processing to achieve organizational objectives. It greatly contributed to the improved performance and competitiveness of the LGU’s business permit and licensing process. The unique features of the system, such as the assignment of unique code to business permit for tracking purposes and the generation of customized reports, make information management efficient and effective. Through eBPLS, time and effort in business registration and renewal was trimmed down. The improved process brought about positive change to the performance of service personnel which created a positive image to the LGU as a whole in terms of service delivery and transparency. More than 2,000 business establishments as of 2015 benefitted from the convenient processing of business permit registration and renewal.

Milestones

The eBPLS was used as a tool to improve the business permit and licensing process of BOSS. The system was introduced to end-users prior to installation for consultation and test of user-friendliness. BOSS front line personnel were provided with capacity-building trainings to become reliable and competent users of the system. Aside from the positive feedback and commendation earned from satisfied clients, the effective implementation of the eBPLS has garnered awards such as Most Business-Friendly Municipality in the Philippines – Hall of Fame Award (2009, 2010, and 2011), eGov4MD Award, 4th Most Competitive Municipality in the Philippines (2014), and Best in eGov Business Empowerment Award (3rd Place).

Carmona has also become a Lakbay-Aral destination of LGUs, academe, and various international groups for benchmarking. The LGU became a model LGU to local governments who wants to embrace the positive results of the practice.

The Muntinlupa Scholarship Program (MSP) is the forerunner of the educational assistance programs of the City Government of Muntinlupa under the Office of the Mayor. The MSP facilitates the creation of criteria, receipt of application, screening, and selection up to the monitoring of scholars. It recommends ways and undertakes strategies to enhance and improve the scholarship program and its services. The new expanded MSP disseminates scholarship information through a website and a text (or short message service) blast and processes scholarship requirements through a web portal. With just one click, all scholars will be able to receive official announcements from the MSP thus, allowing a more secure and official information dissemination mechanism. It also promotes an operational and hassle-free scholarship disbursement process (from application to monitoring and disbursement of allowances) through the use of a card.

Background and Problem

The MSP aims to stimulate, encourage, and uphold its objectives to prepare the students for a better life in the future and serve as role models of their generation—physically, mentally, socially, morally, and spiritually. It extends educational and financial support to those who cannot afford to pay for their education but willing to finish their studies, and those who excel academically in school. However, potential scholars in Muntinlupa City are often unfamiliar with the available scholarships and have difficulty in searching opportunities which result to lagging behind competitors or inability to meet deadlines for the application process. Information on the scholarship requirements and its mode of submissions are also some of the delaying (if not hindering) factors in successfully applying for scholarship programs. Some scholarship programs also have a problem with regard to releasing scholarship disbursements due to regulatory restrictions that usually direct to disbursement delays and add stress to the accepted scholar.

Solution and Impact

The expanded scholarship, enacted by City Ordinance 15-099, introduced the merit-based granting of scholarships. Muntinlupa City also worked on integrating the scholarship program to the Muntinlupa Care Card Program for a more efficient database management and allowance disbursement with just a tap on POS (Point of Sale) terminals. This technology was the very first in the country.    The City also established a website that acts as the gateway for efficient information dissemination and application procedures. This innovation helps save the environment as it requires paperless transactions, saves time, and eliminates the need for scholars to be absent in their respective classes. Aside from the website, the people of Muntinlupa City also have access to scholarship announcements and disbursements through a Facebook page, making information dissemination adaptive and easier to broadcast.

The MSP is also committed in implementing and complying with ISO-9001:2008 quality management system policies. It constantly reviews and takes heart the objectives of the City Government’s established quality improvement programs to be able to keep abreast with the new and increasing demands and new challenges in public service.

Milestones

The MSP is being implemented since the approval of the City Scholarship Ordinance through the three divisions of the Program, namely: (1) the Administrative, (2) Scholarship Management and Special Projects, and (3) the Research and Advocacy Divisions. All these divisions as well as the staff members are knowledgeable in these processes, specifically in the care of files and records of the office, processing of papers of applicants, financial assistance disbursements, and the profiling and organization of scholars. The MSP also regularly conducts process improvement seminars and recalibration of the technical skills and knowhow of each personnel to adapt with the growing demand for public service. The expanded MSP was adapted from the Taguig City Scholarship Program as proof of the City’s continuous effort to benchmark and network with other local government units (LGUs), foster camaraderie, and further improve on other cities’ best practices. The MSP eventually expanded the grants to more than 12,000 elementary and high school beneficiaries, making it the most inclusive scholarship program in the country.

The project also benchmarked with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to better understand their process and be responsive in aiding the agency in providing more scholarships to students who were unfortunate to make it to the DOST-Science Education Institute Qualifying Exams cut. Through regular surveys conducted within Muntinlupa local offices and its constituents, the MSP was discovered to be the most efficient and appreciated program of the City Government of Muntinlupa. It was also awarded by the City Government of Muntinlupa Anti-Graft Board for complying with Republic Act 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007.