Today’s Town Hall was a moment of reflection and looking ahead. Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) President Austere Panadero shared key takeaways from the past year—our breakthroughs, challenges, and lessons learned.

As we enter the next phase of our 10-year plan, a major transition is also happening with three new Board members bringing expertise in governance, health innovations, and technology:
Ms. Ma. Josefina dela Cruz, Dr. Fely Marilyn Lorenzo, and Dr. Jaemin Park. We also welcome our new Chair, Dr. Manuel Dayrit, former Secretary of Health, who shared his vision of strengthening health leadership, scientific rigor, and communication to drive lasting impact.

With our 2025-2027 strategic plan, we remain focused on four key areas: Local Health Systems (LHS), Nutrition, Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health (AYSRH), and the ZFF Institute for Health Leadership. We are setting ambitious goals—supporting LGUs as frontrunners in UHC, reducing childhood stunting, tackling teenage pregnancy with evidence-based solutions, and positioning ZFF as a thought leader in public health.

As ZFF Deputy Executive Director Dr. Anthony Faraon said, the road ahead is both challenging and rewarding, but with our collective dedication, “We can make the next three years our most impactful yet.”

Source: Zuellig Family Foundation Facebook Page

February 20, 2025:

“Today I attended my first board meeting of the Zuellig Family Foundation. It lasted for 6 hrs. with only a 30 minute lunch break. Our Chairman, former Secretary of Health Manny Dayrit & President, former Undersecretary of DILG Austere Panadero very kindly gave us a synopsis of the spectrum of projects that the Foundation is undertaking, mostly is areas of health, education & governance.

I must admit I was dumbfounded to say the least when I realized the extent of resources this foundation is pouring in our country, and their commitment to remain in the Philippines despite alternative opportunities in our neighboring countries.

Thank you ZFF for leading the way with your pioneering programs & projects. I am truly blessed and honored to be able to join you in your noble desire to make a difference.” – Former Gov. Josie Dela Cruz

Josie Mendoza-dela Cruz (BSME 1979)

The only thing constant in life is change. But pushing for change means challenging the status quo. Because people prefer to stay within their comfort zones, this is where the biggest task lies.

I ran for governor of Bulacan during a time when only few women were in government. Men, especially the politicians, believed it was a job best fit for only them.

Winning meant immersing myself in the community, being available 7 days a week, building partnerships, and selling a dream. I started with the youth, then the women, until finally I won the respect of the men. To achieve that, it meant working twice as hard as my male counterparts.

By God’s grace, I became the first woman governor of Bulacan.

—

Josie Mendoza-dela Cruz
BSME 1979
First Female Governor of Bulacan
Served June 30, 1998- June 30, 2007

Source: Federation of Ateneo Management Engineers

NMYL Presidents’ reunion picture: “Young legislators’ group NMYL celebrates 30th anniversary”, the Zoom-captured picture shows from left: Love Baronda, Cecilia Clare Reyes, DV Savellano, Josie dela Cruz, Kiko Pangilinan, Ed Chatto, Herbert Bautista, Enrique dela Cruz, Julian Coseteng, Del de Guzman, and Dorothy Delarmente.

LOVE BARONDA, current president of the National Movement of Young Legislators (NMYL), was only a toddler when the group was formally formed thirty years ago.

“Who would have thought na two years old pa lang ako, nag-birthing pains pala kayo conceiving this organization. And because of all your hard work, we are the beneficiaries of your thirty years of labor. So, thank you, thank you po sa mga founders natin especially kay Senator Kiko,” she said.

Councilor Baronda of Iloilo City, NMYL president from 2020 to present, made this remark at the online reunion of all the 12 NMYL presidents earlier this week, as kick-off to the group’s year-long 30th anniversary celebration.

At the reunion, all NMYL presidents from the founding president Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, NMYL president from 1988 to 1992, all the way to current president Councilor Baronda took turns reminiscing: spending their own money, not being able to work on official business, and having to squat in the office of what is now TESDA.

The young once recalled with fondness how the organization grew from a group of 250 idealistic young legislators to a 2,000-strong organization.

Former Marikina Mayor Del De Guzman, NMYL president from 1998 to 2001, and former Alicia town (in Isabela) Mayor Cecilia Claire “Jeng” Reyes, NMYL president from 2008 to 2011, both said all the hard work of organizing bore fruit.

In De Guzman’s words: “Masaya rin ako na I was part of the first group or core group na nag-start mag-organize. ‘Yun nga lang, ‘yung mga experience natin bago natin na-organize ‘yung first congress, we really had to spend our own money, our own time kasi hindi tayo binibigyan ng official time noon, official business. So kapag wala tayo sa station, absent tayo, wala tayong allowance, wala tayong kahit ano. So ‘yun ‘yung mga sacrifices na ginawa natin just for this advocacy. Alam naman natin ‘yung advocacy natin: anti 3Gs, guns goons, and gold.”

For Reyes, institutionalizing NMYL was a major accomplishment. “Nagpapasalamat po ako kay Senator Kiko kasi nagkaroon po ng permanent office space ang NMYL sa Regalia Towers. ‘Yun po malaking pakinabang po sa NMYL, na-institutionalize ang NMYL,” she said.

CAMARADERIE IN SERVICE

Inspired by the overwhelming success of young blood in the first post-martial law democratic elections in 1988, young councilors from Metro Manila headed by then-councilor Pangilinan organized themselves into the Metro Manila Young Councilors’ League.

But as more young politicians from various parts of the country wanted to be part of the organization, the group eventually came to be known as National Movement of Young Legislators. Amidst all kinds of challenges and after consultations in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, the NMYL Founding Congress was held on April 14-17, 1991 at University of the Philippines-Diliman.

Former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, NMYL president from 2001 to 2004, said NMYL opened the national political stage to him, learning from fellow young leaders.

“Ito ‘yung naging opening ko to a national organization as an elected leader, and then nagsunod-sunod na ‘yun, Vice Mayors League, Mayors League…Thank you so much for giving this opportunity to be part of the leadership and the organization that is NMYL. I learned so much from this. I got to meet people who are ideal and until now very ideal,” Bautista said.

Former Quezon City Councilor Julian Coseteng, NMYL president from 2004 to 2008, remembered having fun while learning: “I cannot speak of my experience as a politician without speaking of NYML. NMYL has made my career in politics a lot more fun, a lot more enjoyable, very, very packed with very, very memorable experiences. I will always remember the fellowship, all the learnings that I had which helped me improve as well as a politician.”

Bohol Congressman Edgardo Chatto, NMYL president from 1995 to 1998, said the movement is a major part of his political and personal growth. “NMYL is really part of [my] growth process, development. And I am so happy that the young generation now are involved. So tuloy-tuloy talaga tayong mag-i-influence doon sa participation ng ating young legislators,” he said.

Former Quezon City Councilor Dorothy “Doray” Delarmente, NMYL president from 2011 to 2013, shared: “All my closest and dearest friends right now, in and out of politics, ay na-meet ko sa NMYL…I said one of the best reasons of becoming a public servant is because of my experiences and the friendship that I built from NMYL.”

Baliuag Councilor Enrique “Buko” dela Cruz, interim NMYL president from 2018 to 2020, acknowledged the positive impact of the organization. “Napakalaking tulong po sa mga kabataan, sa mga batang mambabatas ang samahan na ito. I just hope that I can make myself worthy of being a part of this noble organization,” he said.

Expressions of thanks marked the virtual reunion meeting. Pangilinan said that even after his NMYL term, he continued to support “our baby” as a sort of homage to the youthful idealism that inspired NMYL’s founding.

“Kahit na wala na ako sa NMYL, [my Senate] office has been there for NMYL. In fact, many of the programs we put together, wala na ako sa NMYL. Pero ‘yung mga exchange programs, with China, the United States, and Australia, tuloy-tuloy nating sinusuportahan ‘yun. ‘Yung AIM (Asian Institute of Management) Programme for over a hundred sixty young political leaders… Syempre, bilang ama, mahal natin ang ating mga anak eh syempre parang NMYL is our baby. Tayong lahat, hindi lang ako. Tayong lahat na andoon ‘nung unang term,” Pangilinan said.

NMYL Alumni president Congressman DV Savellano of Ilocos Sur initiated the NMYL presidents’ reunion meeting, which lasted almost two hours.

Brimming with three decades worth of memories, the NMYL presidents all agreed to work together to celebrate the movement’s thirty years of idealistic, imaginative, and impassioned service to the country.

“Really, it’s beautiful to be able to retrace and remember and recall all those that we shared. And I continue to share the same love for the country, the same desire to really see the kind of political reforms that we have been fighting for,” said former Bulacan Governor Josie dela Cruz, NYML president from 1992 to 1995.

What a mover Siayan Mayor Flora Villarosa is! With the support of EdGE, Mayor Villarosa invited all the Mayors and Local School Boards of Zamboanga del Norte to a regional meeting in Dipolog City to share best practices in education governance and and to cohort more education champions in the Zamboanga Peninsula.

The local chief executives were presented with data on the status of education in their localities, which was followed by a discussion on possible causes for the poor performance of students. A “shock and awe” approach was needed to make the LCEs and LSBs realize that improving the quality of education is a shared responsibility. As leaders in the community, they have a huge role in setting education priorities. But their leadership and support are also necessary so that the entire community can be mobilized to work for solutions to problems impeding the growth of education.

When asked to prioritize their concerns, poverty alleviation was their most frequent response. Education did not seem to figure out among their LGUs’ top priorities. To this, Ma’am Nene Guevara, Synergeia CEO, shared the result of studies that showed poverty has become intergenerational because children from poor families are unable to study or complete elementary or high school. Giving children access to education gives them and their families opportunities for a better life. This was an eye-opener for the Mayors and LSB members.

The regional meeting also gave the Mayors the opportunity to listen to and be inspired by Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian and his successful 360 Degree Education Program of Valenzuela City. Mayor Rex presented the components and results of the Valenzuela program, a flagship education initiative which EdGE supports. Mayor Rex was a perfect example to the Mayors of a local chief executive who takes the driver’s seat in education in partnership with DepEd and other community stakeholders.

They were also fortunate to listen to Former Governor Josie dela Cruz, currently Synergeia mentor, sharing the education story of Bulacan back when she was still its governor. Bulacan’s education program, among the pioneers under the Synergeia wing, was also a success story.

At the end of the day, the Mayors gave their full commitment to prioritize education and undertake follow-up activities like conducting their own education summits to identify education gaps and proposed solutions, and re-inventing and expanding their Local School Boards. It was indeed a good day for education governance.

Source: Synergeia

With the New Year comes new beginnings and for the Municipality of Teresa, 2018 marks the beginning of a newfound commitment to education. On the 23rd of January, Synergeia and the Municipality of Teresa officially began its education partnership with the town’s first ever Education Summit.

Everyone was abuzz with excitement and eagerness. The participants yelled the summit’s title “We Can Work It Out” like a battle cry to kick-off the day’s program of activities. Mayor Raul Palino was inspiring yet firm in his remarks. To everyone in the room — to the school officials and teachers, students, parents, implementers of the 4Ps program, private sector, and local government officials, he posed this challenge: “May gagawin po tayo…Ang ating layunin ay sama-samang makatulong sa mga bata. Papaano natin itataas ang antas ng karunungan sa Teresa?”

Synergeia Mentor, Former Governor Josie dela Cruz, discussed School Governing Councils – – how they are created, who can be SGC members, their functions and how they differ from Parent-Teachers’ Associations. She highlighted their important role in the formulation of school improvement plans after finding out that many schools in Teresa did not have SGCs at all, or if they did, these were not functional or active in school policy making and planning. The SGC is the vehicle to involve members of the entire community who might have a stake in the improvement of every child’s education. As F/Gov Josie so aptly stated, “Ang edukasyon ng kabataan ay pakialam nating lahat…Pagkatapos nitong summit na ito, sana magbubuo po tayong lahat ng School Governing Councils sa ating mga paaralan.”

The two break-out groups facilitated by F/Gov Josie and Ma’am Nene were interactive, fun, and instructional at the same time. There were follow-through modules on identifying SGC circles of influence, how to make one attend an SGC meeting and what could be ground rules an SGC must observe. The participants worked on a group puzzle that quizzed them on historical facts about the Philippines and in the process, they learned about cooperation and working as one team. They next dove right into capacity-building activities that focused on setting attainable goals, translating goals into tasks, and differentiating between inputs, outputs, and outcomes. These skills are instrumental in building and fostering a successful SGC.

The participants, shown the National Achievement Test scores of Teresa schools, expressed concern at the declining trend of scores over the past few years. Participants, including young students, had stories to tell on possible reasons for this drop such as the sudden change in curriculum, the focus on mother tongue, parents who are unable to read themselves, newbie teachers assigned in the lower grades, students distracted with games, and so on. The bottom line, however, was everyone agreed that there was much work to be done.

To cap the day’s workshop, the participants were asked to prepare a simple action plan that identifies their desired goals and tasks. The teachers want to improve the reading and math competencies of schoolchildren. The parents look forward to a training on parenting skills. DepEd Schools Division Superintendent, Dr. Meliton Zurbano, identified reading, numeracy and writing as priorities. Teresa Marble, the partner-private corporation of Teresa in its education program, promised to support and monitor the development of SGCs, the remedial reading training of teachers and parenting workshop.

After hearing the participants, we know that there is so much hope and promise that Teresa’s education program will succeed. Ma’am Nene promised Synergeia’s full support and commitment. Her parting note – “Ang programa ng Synergeia ay ang inyong edukasyon…”

Source: Synergeia

By: Carmela Kris Armilla, Program Officer, Synergeia Foundation

“Before I retire, I will contribute what I can to make our SGC functional and active,” declared Juan Rivera Jr. with resolve after attending the SGC Workshop. Mr. Rivera is the 61-year-old principal of Apo Elementary School in Argao. With four years left in his term, Principal Rivera is inspired to exhaust all means to improve the school he serves. He sees the SGC’s role in making this possible.

He was one of around 170 School Governing Council (SGC) members from Argao, San Fernando and Santander who attended the two-day workshop “We Can Work It Out: Making Our SGCs Work” held at Montebello Hotel, Cebu City last July 25-26, 2017.

Having undergone Level 1 training, our SGCs this time were given Level 2 training “with a little bit of 3.” The “little bit” part aimed to introduce some Level 3 modules to our participants.

The first plenary focused on a review of the role of the SGC, its responsibilities, how it is formed and why it is different from the Parents-Teachers Association. When the participants were divided into clusters, they went through an appreciative inquiry exercise where they shared stories behind the performance of their students in terms of their NAT scores and the cohort survival rates. Realizing where the students stand had set the tone for the SGCs to be introspective on how they can play more effective roles in improving basic education.

Their first group activity was solving a puzzle. It was meant to test how well they work with others. After the group activity, one participant realized the essence of “making collaborative ideas.” Another said that when faced with limited resources, thinking “outside the box” was key. Gov. Josie dela Cruz, former Governor of Bulacan and Synergeia mentor, emphasized the importance of inclusivity when working in the SGC, stating that exclusivity might limit opportunities for development.

SGC members are shown trying to solve the puzzle.

Using a “satisfaction meter,” the SGCs then went on to assess their performance on five aspects – their ability to hold regular meetings and set agenda, election of officers, agreeing on by-laws, engagement of the community and formulation of school policies. Through role-plays and cluster discussions, the participants learned more about project planning, translating goals into tasks, financing and conflict resolution. One policy that they think should be established is the roles of parents and the school principal and teachers in the education of the children. They agree on the important role of parents because they are the teachers of students at home.

Synergeia Mentor Gov. Josie facilitates the discussion on activities and tasks to implement the goals of the SGC.

Creative fund-raising activities for the SGC were also discussed. Gov. Josie shared a snippet of wisdom – that “all funding begin with a good project.” Some barangays shared that activities such as Gulayan sa Paaralan, Prince and Princess contest, and sewing projects have financially supported their respective schools and SGCs.

The concepts of input, output and outcomes, the steps in designing process flows, and action planning and evaluation were introduced to the participants. These are the Level 3 modules that have been included in this workshop. The participants learned new tools such as the process flow and action plan matrix that will help them identify tasks more systematically and in specific terms including setting deadlines to accomplish these tasks. They also learned about looking beyond outputs and seeing that outcomes of their projects are what impact the lives of students and the community as a whole.

At the end of the workshop, our SGC participants agreed that the collaboration of parents, school and barangay leaders is the linchpin towards a holistic and secure quality education for students in their respective communities. They gave their thanks and shared the common goal they wish to accomplish. “Our goal is to make our SGCs functional in their respective areas,” shared Ms. Rosalina M. Fuentes, principal of Balasa Elementary School.

Source: Synergeia

History

The Philippine postal system has a history spanning over 250 years. The first post office was established in the city of Manila in 1767. It was organized under a new postal district of Spain in 1779, encompassing Manila and the entire Philippine archipelago. In 1783, the postal service was organized in the Philippines-overseas mail from the Philippines was conveyed to Europe by Spanish ships via eastbound routes through Mexico. Later on, the postal district was re-established on December 5, 1837. After a year, Manila became known as a leading center of postal services within Asia. Spain joined the Universal Postal Union in 1875, which was announced in the Philippines two years later.

During the Philippine Revolution, President Emilio Aguinaldo ordered the establishment of a postal service to provide postal services to Filipinos during that time. On September 5, 1902, it was organized as a bureau under the Department of Trade (currently known as Department of Trade and Industry) by virtue of Act No. 426, which was passed by the Philippine Commission. The Philippines finally joined the Universal Postal Union in January 1, 1922 as a sovereign entity.

The Manila Central Post Office Building, the center of the Philippine postal services and the headquarters of then-Bureau of Posts, was completed in 1926. It was destroyed during World War II (1945) but was rebuilt in 1946, after the war.

The Manila Central Post Office located at LiwasangBonifacio is a neo-classical building designed by two American architects and a Filipino namely: Ralph Doane, Tomas Mapua, and Juan Marcos de Guzman Arellano. The Post Office Building was considered as the grandest building during its time, and is now considered as one of the dominating landmarks in Metro Manila.

With the overhaul of the Philippine bureaucracy in 1987, the Bureau of Post was renamed the Postal Service Office (PSO) by the virtue of Executive Order No. 125 issued by then-President Corazon Aquino on April 13, 1987. It was also that order which placed PSO under the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC). On April 2, 1992, by virtue of the Republic Act No.7354 issued by then-President Fidel V. Ramos, PSO became a government owned and controlled corporation named as the Philippine Postal Corporation of more commonly known today as PHLPost.

Milestones

• 1767-The first post office was established in the City of Manila.
• 1926-The Manila Central Post Office was built in its present neo-classical architecture.
• 1942-During the Japanese occupation, the then- Bureau of Posts was reopened, although the letters were censored.
  1946-The Manila Central Post Office was rebuilt after World War II.
• 1948-The postal service and telecommunication facilities in the Philippines were considered the most modern at that timein Asia. For example, the airmail service was inaugurated in our country ahead of any other countries in Asia.
• 1992-The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost), a government-owned and controlled corporation responsible for providing postal services in the Philippines, was created by virtue of Republic Act No. 7354, otherwise known as the Postal Service Act of 1992.
• 2000-The improved Central Mail Exchange System (CMEC) is now capable of computerizing and modernizing the sorting of all incoming and outgoing mail matters handled by PHLPost.
• 2004-PHLPost was placed under the Commission on Information and Communications Technology per Executive Order 269.
• 2011-PHLPost was placed under the Office of the President per Executive Order 47, signed by President Benigno Aquino III. The President also appointed former Bulacan governor Ma. Josefina Dela Cruz as the new Postmaster General, the first woman to hold this position in t he history of the Philippine Postal Service.
• 2012-Under the able leadership of the first female Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer Ma. Josefina M. Dela Cruz and PHLPost Chairman of the Board Cesar N. Sarino, the postal service remains committed to serve the public with honesty, integrity and quality of service.

PHLPost Modern History

2011

• Achieved a financial turnaround, and since then, the corporation reported an increasing trend in its net income.
• Underwent rebranding, from Philpost to a new and improved PHLPost, with the tagline:  You send. We Deliver.
• Prioritized reconciliation efforts with the GSIS to restore the active membership status of affected employees all over the country.
• Forged partnership with private companies and organizations to scale-up operations, increase revenue streams, and link communities for social inclusion.
• Strengthened government to government relations to bring services closer to the Filipinos.

2012

• Implemented the Rationalization Plan for a sustainable, market-driven, and customer-centric organization.
• Remitted PhP10 million worth of dividend to the National Government out of its 2011 income for the first time since its incorporation in 1992.
• Ventured into logistics and warehousing business, with a three year refleeting program to ensure efficient delivery of communications and goods up to the last mile.
• Migrated from paper-based to electronic postal money order; from manual and mechanical units to use of networked digital postage meter machines.
• Expanded the postal network as major mall chains open postal counters, while private individuals become PHLPost’s partner in postal stations.

2013

• Received Comelec commendation for 100% efficiency in the delivery of election paraphernalia.
• PHLPost garnered a 93.97% rating in its performance agreement with the Governance Commission for GOCCs.
• Introduced modern printing technology to renew interest in philately.
• Institutionalized a postal awareness campaign, Sulat Mulat, to revive the art of letter writing.
• Supported the continuing education of employees through an educational assistance program for masteral and specialized courses.

2014

• Achieved global recognition after winning the World Mail Awards 2014 for People Management held in Germany, and a finalist in Post Expo Technology Award 2014 in Sweden.
• Migrated from issuing laminated card type to a new Postal ID made of PVC with multiple security features.
• Opened the first Government Procurement Service Hub in CDO.
• Introduced the Selfie Stamps
• PMG Josie Dela Cruz became the first Asian official appointed in the international payment gateway, Eurogiro Board.

2015

• Implemented the Domestic Mails Tracking System for real time and complete events tracking.
• Inaugurated the first temperature-controlled warehouse.
• Singing Karteros became a hit.
• Deputized as a collecting agent of Bureau of Customs to expedite delivery of mails and parcels.

Source: PHLPost

August 25, 2015

The Asia-Pacific region is rapidly changing and is now leading the world when it comes to e-commerce volumes. Today more and more companies are looking to establish themselves in the ASEAN market, making the World Mail & Express Asia Pacific 2015 event the perfect place to develop business relationships, expand networks and capitalize on the booming e-commerce industry in the area.
This year the World Mail & Express Asia Pacific Conference is hosted by PHLPost and arrives in Manila from 19 – 21 October.

Post & Parcel speaks to PHLPost Post Master General, Maria Josefina Dela Cruz, to find out what the event means to the newly-rebranded organisation, the connections it is hoping to make and the experiences it is keen to share with industry leaders across the world.

Why was PHLPost keen to host the conference this year?

PMG: Hosting the biggest conference of leaders and top executives in the global courier industry brings honour and prestige to PHLPost as this serves as a testament that the international community recognizes the capability and resources of the corporation to provide a conducive atmosphere for discussion and business. We at PHLPost take pride in welcoming the leaders in the postal industry to the World Mail & Express Asia Pacific event in Manila.

How does PHLPost hope to benefit from the event?

PMG: As a host and participant, PHLPost aims to use the occasion to promote its developments and demonstrate what it can offer to spur active participation in the supply chain management required in the flourishing industry of the cross border e-commerce. We hope to establish more connections, foster deeper partnerships, learn new business solutions, and adopt best practices to bolster our reengineering efforts in the corporation.

What unique postal challenges does PHLPost face?

PMG: We consider the issue on “de minimis” as the unique postal challenge confronting PHLPost. While we accept that countries do have varying thresholds for the imposition of duties and taxes, here in the Philippines, anything beyond PHP15 or less than US$1 (current exchange rate is US$1 : PHP43) is taxable. This supposed streamlined border for clearance and customs duties and other taxes has been a burden especially on the part of the micro, small, and medium sized enterprises that ventured into the e-commerce sector. Certainly, there is a need to expedite the enactment of proposed amendments in the Philippine Tariffs and Customs Law, and this includes increasing to a substantial amount of the de minimis, as this will result in the reduction on the customs compliance cost; instead, it will accelerate the delivery transactions of merchandise in favour of all the entrepreneurs, also the players in the courier business.

How is the theme for the event ” Championing e-commerce: creating new supply chains” relevant to you?

PMG: The conference theme couldn’t be more appropriate as championing e-commerce is at the core of our rebranding efforts. PHLPost aspires to bury the poor image of the corporation, and instead make way for an image of relevancy and sustainability. Today’s postal services are no longer defined by stamps, snail mail, and paper-based money order as PHLPost scales-up to express, logistics and warehousing, electronic remittance, and cross-border e-commerce.

Championing e-commerce means that the country’s government owned and controlled corporation that is PHLPost is now stepping up its role as an indispensable player in providing business solutions for micro, small and medium sized enterprises, allowing trades to move freely and easily across borders. Further, championing e-commerce will significantly drive revenue growth and profitability—areas that are crucial in achieving the Corporation’s thrust to contribute to the national treasury.

PHLPost has extensive domestic acceptance, distribution, and delivery network, as well as its worldwide mail linkages. The organisation also remains committed to bridging the gap between individuals, families, communities, businesses, and organizations. Despite the advent of modern modes of communication, PHLPost will continue to be relevant and competitive both in the domestic and international realms because it will be able to harness modern technology for greater transparency and efficient service delivery.

Why is the event important to PHLPost?

PMG: This event reinforces the relevance of PHLPost in the value chain. Committed to last mile delivery, PHLPost continues to play a vital role in the nation’s development. Modern technology, which some had previously perceived as a threat to the post’s survival, has become the corporation’s reliable partner in improving its delivery efficiency.

What can attendees learn from PHLPost?

PMG: If there’s one thing that the other posts can learn from PHLPost, it’s our program for people management, as we consider our human resources as the biggest asset of the corporation. PHLPost has embarked on a transformative reengineering program to increase efficiency, improve transparency and accountability, and strengthen operations within the corporation. By strengthening the organization, the current leadership hopes to build a sustainable business culture that provides service excellence to the Filipino people.

As a host, PHLPost hopes to showcase its reengineering experience as a model in empowering the postal employees. The corporation began sowing seeds of trust within the postal community to make the employees feel passionate about their jobs and committed to the organization. We modernized our facilities, automated our systems, implemented a refleeting program, and up scaled our products and services — all these investments to enable long-term value creation. As a result, we have already reversed the unfavourable condition in 2011, and continue to improve performance indicators.

Source: Post & Parcel

As she effectively transformed the Philippine Postal Corp.’s (PHLPost) into a revenue-generating government-owned agency, its first female postmaster general (PMG) and chief executive officer Ma. Josefina Dela Cruz credits her successful three-term leadership as governor of Bulacan in seeing her through.

It was during this time that she developed her skills in leadership and steeled her determination in facing challenges in public service and economics–the very abilities, which allowed her to steer PHLPost into a brand new direction today.

“There were many challenges at PHLPost when I joined the organization but none that we could not overcome,” said Dela Cruz in a one-on-one with The Manila Times for its weekly CEO Corner.

Her vast experience in public service began at an early age of 21, when she was elected as the youngest councilor of Bocaue in Bulacan, thereafter working her way up elective posts until she became the governor of the province.

Armed with an impressive educational background—graduating Cum Laude in the 1980s from two consecutive degrees, namely Management Engineering and Psychology, at the Ateneo de Manila University—Dela Cruz was considered a valuable asset in her province.

Just the same, much was expected from the achiever when she was appointed to lead the new PHLPost, and she did not disappoint. Her program, “Re-engineering PHLPost,” won the People Management category of the World Mail Awards 2014 in Berlin, Germany on June 18—an achievement she humbly attributes to the employees of PHLPost.

“We owe the all the triumphs and success of the corporation receives to every employee, especially the letter carriers. This only attests that we are heading on the right path. With this award especially we can only go forward and continue to be of service to our fellow Filipinos,” Dela Cruz said.

The World Mail Awards 2014 is the most prestigious award ceremony in the postal sector recognizing excellence and innovation as conducted by Triangle Management Services Limited.

New PHLPost

Celebrating National Stamp Collecting Month this November, PHLPost now has an established structure with better facilities and a modern fleet of delivery vehicles. Its services are no longer defined by stamps, snail mail, and paper-based money order as the agency is now scaling up to express, logistics, electronic remittance, and cross-border e-commerce.

Moreover, Dela Cruz is proud of the financial turnaround of PHLPost, having been able to remit dividends to the National Government for the first time. PHLPost earned P110 million in the first seven months of operation under the leadership of Dela Cruz who took office in July 2011.

Dela Cruz recalled, “When I came here, PHLPost had only P5 million in its coffers. That was not even enough for the one month salaries of 11,000 employees. Worse, it had P266 million loses accumulated in the past years.”

Admittedly, Dela Cruz found the situation difficult, but after her factual assessment of the organization’s situation, she determinedly gathered available resources and manpower to improve PHLPost’s operations.

Among her early triumphs was to convince Department of Justice Secretary Leila De Lima to avail of their postal services for 2012 worth P5.6 million. Dela Cruz also persuaded other private companies to sign on for PHLPost’s courier services among them BDO and PLDT, and Philhealth and SSS.

“We are no longer limited to being a stamp company. We are now also a logistics company that can deliver cash and parcels door to door,” she said.

Dela Cruz was also able to implement new systems that resulted to favorable changes that continue to take place at PHLPost.

“If there’s one legacy I want to leave in this organization, it would be how I was able to uplift the situation of its employees who are now enjoying the fruits of those innovations,” she related.

These innovations comprise of the following:

Rationalization plan. After her strategic review of the company, 3,301 employees who volunteered to retire reduced PHLPost’s manpower, enabled the organization to prioritize its corporate budget.

“From 11,000 employees around the country, we were reduced to about 9,000,” Dela Cruz said. The savings resulting from the rationalization planenabled the Post to offer better compensation packages for employees, who previously received one of the lowest salaries in the industry. PHLPost salaries increased from 13 percent to 30 percent.”

Employee empowerment. Today PHLPost provides employees a world of opportunities, including participating in local and international trainings and conferences.

Employees are also encouraged to pursue higher degree of education or specialized courses through an Educational Assistance Program. With these, they are afforded chances to rediscover their sense of mission by conducting team-building activities, workshops and various wellness activities.

Performance management system. Employees’ performances are now planned, monitored, evaluated, and rewarded. With the Strategic Performance Management System (SPMS), corporate targets are translated to individual targets, providing every unit and employee a clear direction of what needs to be accomplish.

Open communication. Various means of communication between the management and employees are now in place. Dela Cruz takes time to travel all over the Philippines to carry out face-to-face interaction with postmasters and letter carriers so that corporate thrusts are communicated clearly and employees’ sentiments are addressed properly.

There are also corporate performance assessment and action planning every quarter, gathering of birthday celebrants every month, corporate publications every month, the PHLPost Text Alert, and use of other social media.

Better facilities and modern equipment. Dela Cruz also prioritized addressing the problem of fully depreciated vehicles, outdated machines and equipment, and manual processes over since July 2011.

With the three-year Refleeting Program, postal employees now drive new and rebranded vehicles in the transport of mails, with targets to add on 483 more vehicles by 2017.

Information technology. From traditional snail mails, PHLPost has taken a big leap to networked digital postage meter machines with initial implementation involving about 222 machines. The computerization of business processes is also ongoing.

An in-house IT department is busy developing various systems like the Financial Management Information System, Funds Management System, Personnel Management Information System, and of course the Pinoy e-mail (e-commerce platform).

Moreover, PHLPost has used IT to introduce stamps to the Filipinos in a new dimension through its “Selfie” Booth producing personalized stamps.

Added services. Besides mail delivery, PHLPost has transitioned to express delivery and moving bulk shipments like election paraphernalia and relief goods through its logistic services. Paper-based money order also no longer defines PHLPost payment services as it has migrated to electronic money transfer, bills payment, collections and payout services.

Partnerships

In collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and Land Bank of the Philippines, PHLPost was able to implement payout for the poorest families under the Conditional Cash Transfer Program, even to the remotest areas in the Philippines.

It also partnered with the Department of Health in delivering medicines to the rural health units, as well as with the Commission on Election in the delivery of election paraphernalia.

The Philippines’ Outsourced Collection Industry also became an ally for PHLPost in providing bills payment and collection services. In 2012, it sealed an alliance with DHL for international express delivery services for destinations not serviceable by its in-house express mail service.

With all her achievements as postmaster, Dela Cruz said still has a greater vision for the corporation if she is given the chance to prove its worth to the public.

“I know my purpose here,” she added.

Asked whether she thinks about going back to politics, she smiled and admitted, “To be honest, I am now happy with what I am doing here. I am very grateful to those employees who fully cooperate with me to bring back to life this very office they have been serving for many years.”

Source: Manila Times

Re-launching one of its most iconic products, the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) unveiled yesterday an upgraded version of the postal ID card—a primary form of identification used by as many as four million Filipinos.

A new wallet-sized PVC plastic card infused with layers of digital security is set to replace the traditional postal ID assembled from cardboard paper and plastic lamination

The postal ID remains a popular government-issued ID. It can be obtained by almost anyone who needs a valid proof of identity and address. ID owners are not required to have a particular skill, qualification or employment, unlike the hurdles for getting driver’s licenses, PRC licenses to practice a profession, SSS or GSIS cards.

According to Postmaster General Josefina de la Cruz, the lack of a valid ID remains a problem especially among the out of work, the informal sector, full-time homemakers, youths and minors. “Many ordinary Filipinos still don’t have a credible form of identity to show in banks or hospitals or boats—therefore giving them a harder time to get transactions done,” she said.

“The postal ID has a track record of giving disenfranchised citizens better access to public services and opportunities,” De La Cruz remarked. “As the card for everyone, the postal ID helps make our society more socially inclusive.”

Even among the employed, it makes sense to own a postal ID, she added. “We are all required to present more than one valid ID for important transactions—when we open a bank account, encash a check, buy property or apply for a passport.”

De la Cruz said the new postal ID will undeniably be more durable and presentable. In addition, she said the security measures—from one-of-a-kind fingerprint patterns to a quick response (QR) code and magnetic stripe—will improve card integrity and discourage counterfeiting. There has been a growing perception that it is easy to duplicate or fake the postal ID, leading to some entities no longer honoring or recognizing it.

PHLPost will pilot the issuance of new postal IDs starting mid-November this year in selected post offices. The new IDs will become accessible nationwide by early-2015. The upgrade is also in line with a directive to unify all ID systems of government-owned and controlled corporations under the biometric technology standard.

Although a final price was not yet announced for the new postal ID, Postmaster General De La Cruz assured the public that there would be no significant price increase despite the many ID improvements being introduced. The current postal ID costs P400 when obtained from the Manila Central Post Office in Liwasang Bonifacio. The price has been known to go higher outside Metro Manila, but among the changes PHLPost will institute are setting one uniform ID price and one ID quality anywhere in the country.

De la Cruz explained that the new ID is a flexible “smart card” capable of conducting secure and convenient transactions. PHLPost, she said, is preparing the ID for the functionalities of an ATM, a debit card for cashless postal money transfers and remittance, as well as loyalty rewards. She said the new ID would also ride the boom in Internet-based businesses through e-commerce and online banking capabilities.

“We are not just after the revenues. PHLPost also earns from the current postal ID. But we are moving forward with a new and improved ID,” De la Cruz asserted, “because our board wants to better serve the public.”

The new postal IDs will be produced through an existing joint venture of PHLPost and Filipino IT company Filmetrics Corporation. The same joint venture currently customizes biometric identification and registration systems for the Philippines’ largest social insurance fund, the Social Security System.

Source: PHLPost modernizes the Postal ID

June 20, 2014
From the Philippine Postal Corporation

The Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) is standing tall with the other postal industry winners from around the globe as it clinches the most coveted award in the People Management category from the World Mail Awards 2014 in Berlin, Germany, on June 18.

After a touching presentation by PHLPost Postmaster General Josie dela Cruz focusing on its entry “Re-engineering PHLPost”, the corporation was declared the winner besting two programs from Belgium Post.

PMG Dela Cruz spoke about PHLPost’s journey from the challenges it faced through the years to the various innovations injected to the corporation to make it a relevant postal service provider.

“Today, we can say that we were right in taking the path of re-engineering. That we are victorious against a situation where others thought to be improbable to reverse. We are now starting to reap the fruits of our labor,” PMG Dela Cruz said during the presentation.

According to the World Mail Awards online site, PHLPost bagged the award for “its wide-ranging employee program aimed at dramatically enhancing this Postal Services credentials as a champion for social inclusion. Faced with the challenge of supporting remote and vulnerable communities, the Government turned to this Postal Service to distribute cash payments and emergency aid to individuals and families stricken by poverty and natural disasters.”

“Through investment in its people, this Postal Service has been able to achieve a step-change in performance, bringing much needed assistance to the people who need it most,” WMA added.

PMG Dela Cruz looks forward to more progressive years for the corporation citing that with all the developments, the corporation has been inspired and even more challenged to do bolder steps towards making PHLPost relevant and sustainable.

“We owe it to every employee, especially to the letter carriers, all the triumphs and successes the corporation receives. This only attests that we are heading on the right path. With this award we could only go forward and continue to be of service to our fellow Filipino,” PMG Dela Cruz shares after receiving the award.

The WMA is the postal sector’s most prestigious international award giving body that recognizes excellence and innovation at all levels and areas of business from successful customer service initiatives to ground-breaking technological advances.

Source: Official Gazette

Message of Post Master General Josie Dela Cruz in Galing Pook 2014

With utmost felicitations, let me congratulate this year’s recipients of the Galing Pook Awards.

Through the course of its existence, Galing Pook Awards has been a beacon of excellence in search for outstand- ing government programs that thrive in promoting innovative practices in the local governance arena.

As you join the roster of good governance champions, your winning pro- gram has become an instrumentality for genuine reform, public accountability, and transparency.

This recognition will serve as an inspiration among government officials to harness their creative minds and available local resources so as to cultivate novel ideas and developmental programs responsive to the needs of their con- stituency. Further, this will spark hope and optimism at the grass-roots level amid a number of controversies in the country’s political landscape.

We at PHLPost are honored to be a part of this endeavor that mirrors the same ethos that we are espousing in the corporation. We value efforts geared towards innovation, solving problem, and making a difference, in the same way that this year’s outstanding local government programs had pioneered transformation, addressed problems and made an im- pact in the society.

Let this achievement lead you one step closer to a more meaningful journey of arousing other communities to rep- licate your winning program in their locale.

Truly, the hope for a better tomor- row, a better future, and a better Philippines, is within reach as Galing Pook Awards Program and awardees jointly smooth the path to a road marked with opportunities, progress and growth.

Again, congratulations and God speed!

Source: Galing Pook

The Philippines has its first ever female Postmaster General, with the appointment of Maria Josefina M. Dela Cruz as the chief executive of PhilPost, the Philippine Postal Corporation. After being appointed by Dela Cruz officially assumed office on July 18 with a formal handover ceremony at the Main Post Office Building in Liwasang Bonifacio, Manila.

The new Postmaster General is a former three-term governor of Bulacan, the province located just to the north of Manila.

With degrees in management engineering and psychology from the Ateneo de Manila University, Dela Cruz began her public service career aged just 21 with election as the youngest ever member of the local council in the Bulacan town of Bocaue.

However, her appointment as the PhilPost chief is her first position as a government employee.

Josefina Dela Cruz said at her handover ceremony that PhilPost would soon be “reliable, trustworthy and efficient”

Postal employees hope her “vast experience” in public service will bring integrity and a new vision to Philpost, the state-owned company said.

Postmaster General Dela Cruz said of her appointment: “There are many challenges at PhilPost but they can all be overcome. PhilPost will soon be reliable, trustworthy and efficient.”

Dela Cruz takes over from Antonio De Guzman as Postmaster General, who presented his successor with a symbolic PhilPost flag during last month’s handover ceremony.

Source: Post & Parcel

August 18, 2007
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

WHEN ONE speaks of e-governance, Bulacan always comes to mind. In fact, its “paperless bureaucracy” is so celebrated that even other countries have sought to replicate it.

It all began 10 years ago, with six computers, and 10 employees with computer skills. Now Bulacan has 12 servers, 299 computers, with 251 units connected to the local area network, and almost everyone has undergone computer training. It also has an entire department devoted to its system-wide, e-based information system.

A first-class province, Bulacan now has 19 information systems (see list). Among these is the real property tax information system, which provides an updated assessment of all real properties in Bulacan with a digital map to boot (even delinquent taxpayers can be spotted easily on a color-coded map). Tax collection has thus improved. Corruption has been reduced, especially since field appraisal assessments can now be generated in just five seconds.

The province also has a financial management information system (FMIS), used by the budget, treasury, and accounting offices in keeping track of all its financial transactions. One can see online the province’s procurements on supplies and medicines; biddings for roads, bridges, and other projects will soon be included.

Overall, these efforts have supposedly made transactions with the province more efficient, transparent, and accountable. But PCIJ learned that this isn’t necessarily true for some of its transactions.

Documents provided to the PCIJ show that last year, the province incurred a total of P19.92 million of budget overdraft for certain items. According to a veteran auditor, this means the province has “obligated more than its appropriation,” something which, the auditor says, could have been easily spotted with the capitol’s computerized operations.

Before any spending can happen, an obligation slip, which can be generated in a matter of three minutes through the FMIS, is issued. This obligation slip will show if there is an appropriation for a certain expenditure. If the budget for an expenditure — say travel — was exceeded, the local chief executive or the presiding officer of the sanggunian (council) must then request for a realignment so it could get the necessary funds from its other budgeted items.

It’s not clear whether anyone generated obligation slips for items such as seminars and trainings, office supplies, and transportation expenses, which were among those that led to overdrafts in the budget. The items in question were meant for the governor’s office and other offices under her, as well as for two legislative branch offices. A council member does say, though, that no requests were made for any realignment for such items. Instead, the provincial council passed a resolution authorizing the provincial accountant to close the book of accounts for 2006, automatically charging the overdraft to items with savings.

This not only defeats the purpose of having the much-vaunted FMIS as a monitoring system; according to the government auditor, incurring obligations for items without appropriation and without seeking the council’s approval to authorize any realignment is “not a good indicator of controls.” In other words, the council was reduced to a mere “rubber stamp.”

Then again, recent experience by the PCIJ also showed that the capitol’s claim that with computerization, “every citizen can be our COA,” is not exactly accurate. At the very least, accessing basic documents like the annual budget could be difficult, even though Governor Josie de la Cruz herself has said that anyone can go straight to their offices and review their books, and better yet, see it all online.

A Bulacan-based journalist says there was a time when budget documents were “simply everywhere.” But when his publication tried getting the 2005 budget, they were given an inch of a yellow paper with handwritten figures for only three items.

“That’s computerization and transparency right there,” comments the journalist.

When PCIJ tried getting a copy of the latest budget, the budget office could not show any document, not even a summary. The department head wasn’t around at that time and the staff said a request letter was needed before it could be released.

The provincial accountant was just as wary. When asked for its summary of income and expenses and other financial statements for the past years to present, the accountant said the data could not be easily generated. Only the summary for its 2005 expenses was given, and it took some prodding before it was shown. The PCIJ was not allowed to review the entire 2005 report.

It was only on the PCIJ’s second visit when the consolidated balance sheet and the consolidated statement of income and expenses dating back to 2003 (again records of previous years weren’t readily available) were given.

Actually, these documents can be seen in the annual reports of the Commission on Audit. The budget and the financial statements (the latest of which are still being uploaded) are also online at www.bulacan.gov.ph. Supposedly, these are accessible to everyone. In reality, one needs a user name and password to be able to see these pages. The information technology head, however, says they intend to make these public by August.

The governor explains that they recently had “to caution people about being careful” with allowing the public to access data because of the way information “is being twisted by our opponents.”

“It’s not that we’re hiding anything,” she says, “but it’s really just that I think they’re avoiding unnecessary problems.” Just before the 2004 elections, there were allegations that the capitol was suffering from debts.

“Maybe because you’re media (that’s why) they’re reluctant,” she offers.

Source: Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism

2005

Books and school buildings alone do not make a learned child. Bulacan learned this the hard way when results of the National Education Achievement Test (NEAT) given to public elementary school students came back with horrendous results.

In 2000, a typical student from Bulacan showed a report card that would make his mother weep: a rating of 39.40% in Math and a slightly better 40.23% in English. The national averages were hardly any better at 50% and 52% but with this dismal performance, Bulakeño students were already scraping the bottom of the pan.

Jolted to its feet, the provincial government turned the educational system inside out to determine what’s causing poor reading, computational skills, and dismal comprehension in Bulacan’s 496 schools. They found out a crucial cog to a child’s learning wheel was missing: the parents.

“Parents take the first responsibility to educate their children, not the teachers, not DepEd,” said Governor Josefina M. dela Cruz. Project JOSIE (for Joint Systems Improvement in Education) was thus launched in February 2001 to address the issue. It had two objectives: improve learning competency in English and improve computational and comprehension skills in Math.

The project covered elementary school students from grades 1 to 6. From 2001 to 2004, it required P35 million in funding from the provincial government and grants.

A special workbook was developed for students, written by the teachers themselves. The books were designed to match local needs and cost only P23 compared to P120 in commercial bookstores.

Parents and teachers were linked in an organization called SAMAKKA (Samahan ng mga Magulang sa Karunungan at Kabutihan).

The 2003 NEAT results showered remarkable improvement in learning performance: 76% in reading skills and 72% in comprehension skills; and 82% in computational skills and 71.5% in mathematical comprehension skills.

Despite political wrangling in the province, Gov. dela Cruz is confident the project will outlive her term of office.

“Politicians will always listen to the people’s demands. Whoever succeeds me cannot ignore this project,” she said. “This is one project that has moved on its own in spite and despite me.”

This program is recognized as one of the Ten Outstanding Programs in the 2005 Galing Pook Awards.

Source: Galing Pook

Asking a “probinsyano” micro-entrepreneur to adopt a professional business approach may very well be an uphill climb.

But Bulacan Gov. Josie de la Cruz has always believed that it could be done.

First, inspire them to earn their sense of pride. The Tatak Bulakenyo seal takes care of that.

Launched in 2003, Tatak Bulakenyo is an effort to generate market opportunities and livelihood for the province’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by enhancing the quality of local products.

Authentic Bulacan products with the special Tatak Bulakenyo seal is an imprimatur given to products that are ready for both the local and international markets.

Initially, seven priority products had been identified for product development under the Tatak Bulakenyo seal – pastillas de leche, minasa, inipit, ensaymada, longganisang Calumpit, tinapang bangus and kapeng Tagalog.

“These products have crossed the threshold of the nationwide market and can now enter the world market,” Gov. Josie de la Cruz confidently said. “There is a demand for them as the country’s major exports are now processed foods, ” she added.

But it was a long, steady rally towards today’s export-quality Tatak Bulakenyo products. Measures had to be taken to revolutionize Bulacan’s local MSMEs and their products.

“We wanted our entrepreneurs to adopt a professional approach,” said De la Cruz. To achieve this, the province has maximized its resources through the Provincial Cooperative and Economic Development Office (PCEDO), and the expertise of different partner agencies.

PCEDO has initiated a livelihood program, Kasulong sa Kabuhayan, which has granted some P5.8 million in loans to 78 MSMEs and 34 potential entrepreneurs.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provides assistance to MSMEs in the form of marketing, product development, financial brokering, technology upgrading, institutional development, human relations development, and database buildup.

The Bureau of Food and Drug (BFAD) assists entrepreneurs in product licensing, while the DOST provides product analysis services and packaging development.

The Bulacan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) also assists member entrepreneurs in business development and promotions, inter-agency coordination, businessmen education and membership development, as well as consultancy services.

With the help of the partner agencies, the produce of local entrepreneurs enrolled in the Product Development Program now benefit with a greater public appeal and a longer shelf life due to higher quality control standards and cutting edge packaging design. PCEDO also boosts the products’ marketability through promotions and trade fairs.

Today, Bulacan has the highest number of industry associations in the region. It boasts of 34,933 business name registrations, comprising a 30.37 percent share in the region. MSMEs generate P29 billion annually, contributing 11.86 percent to the region’s gross income. Bulacan’s MSMEs have also provided a total number of 190,156 jobs for its locals (Bulacan PCEDO).

Also in the pipeline is the multi-million, 560 sq.m. Bulacan Packaging Service and Toll Packing Center (BPSTPC), under construction at the former Ecology Center site in Malolos.

“The packaging center is really a milestone for our product development endeavors under the Tatak Bulakenyo label, “De la Cruz disclosed. “It will complement our livelihood programs for the Bulakeños, and in the long run, it is expected to increase income generation among the micro, small and medium enterprises.”

The BPSTPC will initially be operated by the provincial government, BCCI and the Bulacan State University, Packaging technology, technical support and supervision will be provided by the Packaging Research and Development Center (PRDC) and DOST Region III.

The packaging center was conceptualized through the support of the private sector headed by Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industries Vice President Dr. Raul Hernandez, former president of the World Packaging Corp.

The BPSTPC will be a venue for DOST-sponsored training seminars for packaging. It will also supply packaging materials and provide services such as label design, toll packaging for tropical fruit, juice/water in stand-up pouch and bottles, vacuum packaging, and single-serve pouch packaging. All materials and services will be charged at a “social cost” for Bulacan MSMEs. The BPSTPC will also be open to entrepreneurs from nearby provinces after operations transcend the transition period.

Source: PhilStar Global

2004

In 2000, Bulacan identified the following problems in local education: inadequate teaching competencies, lack of books and workbooks, low parent involvement in child learning process, ineffective monitoring of performances of pupils and teachers, and poor incentives and rewards for teachers. Ratings of Bulacan pupils in the 2000 national achievement tests were 39.40% in Math (as against the national 50%) and 40.23% in English (as against the national 52%).

To address the problem, the provincial LGU implemented the Project JOSIE. The program had trained 4,141 teachers in math and reading proficiency, trained 157 newly hired teachers and 526 school managers, conducted orientations on home-school collaboration for 247,825 parents, and trained 332 youth volunteers.

It had developed and distributed over 555,000 workbooks for Grades I-IV pupils, 9,600 manuals for teachers, and 248,000 manuals for parents. The program had given awards to 21 outstanding teachers, and incentives to 4,859 Grades I-III teachers, 496 school administrators, and 30 district supervisors.

There have been improvements in the performance of pupils, with proficiency level of 72.81% in the SY 2004-05 comprehensive English learning test for Region III. Bulacan has the lowest incidence of non-readers in English–1 for every 100 non-readers in the region. English proficiency of teachers also improved, with 64.48% during SY 2004-05 regional English assessment test. It is second to San Fernando City’s 69.99%.

Workbooks and manuals have reduced the clerical load of teachers. Parents’ participation in teaching-learning has been accepted in 496 schools. More parents are giving homework supervision to their children, attending school activities, and assuming leadership roles. There is high morale and motivation among teachers, administrators and parents due to community recognition of their roles.

This program is recognized as a Trailblazing Program, a finalist for the 2004 Galing Pook Awards.

Source: Galing Pook

2003

Women are all over the place in the province of Bulacan: in community assemblies, mobilization rallies, skills training centers, boardrooms and in the seats of power.

More than 100 women’s organizations are actively involved in provincial programs under the Panlalawigang Komisyon para sa Kababaihan ng Bulakan (PKKB). The women NGOs work together, use their resources, and tap external help to address the needs of the community.

PKBB was formed to establish a clear vision for women, ensure gender equality, provide women access to sociopolitical and economic opportunities, and utilize and hone their skills and abilities.

“We watched women NGOs grow from shy and unsure to aggressive and confident; from passive and tentative to proactive and assertive; from working alone to working in groups and networks,” says Bulacan Governor Josefina dela Cruz.

Prior to PKKB’s creation, women in the province suffered from gender bias and unequal treatment. Males dominated legislative and executive positions, raising the probability of bias in policy-making and relegating women’s concerns to the background. Incidents of violence against women were oftentimes unreported and unrecorded.

Now with PKKB, “women power” has emerged as an important catalyst in the development of Bulacan. Bulakeñas now actively take part in politics–from the Sangguniang Kabataan to the highest office in the provincial government.

“Women are now getting their chance to be elected and prove themselves worthy of serving the people,” says Governor dela Cruz whose ascendance to power also exemplified the emerging role of women in her province.

Every year, Bulacan pays tribute to the exemplary performance of women in various fields with the Gawad Medalyang Ginto (gold medal award) during the celebration of Women’s Day in March. Since 1997, nearly 300 women have already been given recognition in the provincial and municipal levels.

Seminars on women’s rights and empowerment provide women knowledge on handling cases of abuse and sexual harassment. Gender-sensitive trainings and orientations have become the norm–from the barangay down to the provincial levels.

To reach out to all Bulakeñas, PKKB assigned commissioners to the four districts of Bulacan. Women NGOs and associations are immersed in every district to aid women in the grassroots level. Twenty-two towns and two cities have already served as venues for advocacy activities on women’s rights, gender mainstreaming, strengthening the family and child, and maternal health issues.

PKKB also assists women’s groups in capability building, project conceptualization and in making government or private resources available. From 2002 to 2003 alone, there were 49 government projects for women amounting to P44.7 million.

PKKB has also created the Konsehong Pambayan Para sa Kababaihan (KPK) in seven pilot municipalities. KPK will be the commission’s counterpart in the municipal level. In 2004, PKKB plans to work with 15 municipalities and two cities.

Among the programs Bulakeñas have initiated under the PKKB is the Sikap-Angat Program where women NGOs help provide livelihood for the poorest of the poor. Under the program, called Sa Iyong Pag-iisa, May Kasama Ka, beneficiaries get to earn around P5,000 a month from selling fishball, giving manicure, and rendering other home services. In Marilao, the Women in Service for the Differently Abled of Marilao (Wisdom) was created to help poor children who have difficulty being accepted in regular schools and thus need special education.

Far from being typecast as the weaker sex, Bulakeñas are no longer taking a backseat when it comes to steering public and private sector-initiated programs. PKKB ensures that women will remain a driving force in Bulacan’s development.

This program is recognized as one of the Ten Outstanding Programs in the 2003 Galing Pook Awards.

Source: Galing Pook

“Kasulong sa Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran, Tatak Bulakenyo” [Filipino]

Talumpati
ng
Kagalang-galang Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Pangulo ng Pilipinas
Sa pagtatapos na programa ng Peace and Development Summit “Kasulong sa Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran, Tatak Bulakenyo”

[Ipinahayag sa Regino Carmeli University Gymnasium, Brgy. Catmon Malolos City, Bulacan, ika 12 ng Nobyembre, 2003]

Maraming salamat.

Maraming salamat, Governor Josie de la Cruz.

‘Yung pagkuwento ni Josie tungkol sa akin, bagay na bagay para sa isang estudyanteng nagke-kuwento tungkol sa kanyang teacher.

Ako’y nagpapasalamat na tayo ay narito lahat. Salamat sa inyong napakainit na pagtanggap sa inyong lingkod at aking mga kasamahan ngayon.

Kasama ko ngayon ang ilan sa aking mga Cabinet member. Ang ating Cabinet officer for regional development sa Region III, si Richard Gordon, ang ating Secretary of Tourism. Nabanggit na ni Josie kanina si Secretary Michael Defensor, siya ‘yung ka-partner nitong ating lilipat na mula sa ating railroad. nandito rin, nandoon siya kasama ng mga media, inaalagaan n’ya, ini-entertain n’ya, ang ating Press Secretary, si Secretary Milt Alingod. At nandito ang isa sa aking tatlong Cabinet member mula sa Bulacan, si Secretary Lito Sarmiento. Nandito rin ang ating Presidential Assistant for North Luzon, si Rene Diaz.

Sabi nga ni Josie, ang dami-dami ko ng appointees mula sa Bulacan. Tatlong Cabinet member, maraming undersecretary, maraming importanteng director, at lately nag-appoint ako ng tatlong Sandiganbayan Justices, sabay-sabay, lahat taga-Bulacan. Si Judge Baldos, si Judge Jurado, at saka si Fiscal de la Cruz. Lahat Bulacan.

Kaya binabati ko lahat ng mga officials ng Bulacan na naririto ngayon. ‘Yung ating mga congressmen, ang congressman n’yo dito ay si Congressman Willy Alvarado. Siya ay… Inurong n’ya ‘yung kanyang pirma sa impeacment. nandito rin ‘yung aking kaibigan, dating Chief of Staff noong ako ay Vice President, si — kalahating Capampangan — si Congressman Willy Villarama. Narito ‘yung ating napakagandang dalawang mga congresswomen — si Lorna Silverio at saka si Nining Nicolas. At ‘yung ating Congressman sa party list, kinakatawan ang mga magsasaka ng butil, si Congressman Ben Cruz.

Gusto kong batiin ang ating host mayor, si Danny Domingo. Tama si Josie, pag malapit sa Pampanga ang Bulacan, nasisilip lahat ng nabibigay ko sa Pampanga. nasilip ninyo ‘yung San Fernando overpass. Mula sa San Fernando pumunta ako dito sa Bulacan, sa Baliuag. Tuloy, hiningan ako ng overpass para sa Malolos. At gaya nang sabi ni Josie, dumating kaagad, three days after ‘yung engineering team. At sabi ni Danny Domingo sa akin na nagsisimula na ‘yung mobilization.

Binabati ko lahat ng punongbayan ng Bulacan, ang dami-dami n’yong narito. Ako ay nagpapasalamat sa inyong lahat dahil kayo ay narito. At gusto ko ring batiin ‘yung ating mga nag-aalaga ng ating kapayapaan, si General Dominguez, si General Braganza, at saka si General Querol. Romy, ‘di ba Bulacan ka rin? Ah, pero si Vidal Querol, ‘yan, taga-Bulacan ‘yan.

And I would to greet the private sector. Kung nandito lang sana ang pangalan babatiin ko lahat pero nandito ang pangalan ni Rey Simbulan, ang Regional Director ng Luzon PCCI. At ang ating host sa eskwelahang ito. Thank you for receiving me for the second time, Sister Carmeli Catan, ang pangulo ng University of Regina Carmeli. Pagpasok ko nga hinahanap ko ‘yung mga estudyante eh. Nandoon sila. Kumusta kayo lahat. At mga napakaraming mga DepEd dito, binabati ko rin kayo lahat. Mga iba’t-ibang official — ay, magandang hapon sa inyong lahat.

At itong pagpupulong nating ito para sa kapayapaan at kaunlaran ay talagang tatak ng bulakenyo. Ang inyong pagmamahal sa kapayapaan at kaunlaran ay katangiang pinatunayan na ninyo sa maraming makasaysayang pangyayari sa ating bansa kung saan naging mahalagang bahagi ang mga Bulakenyo.

Isa na nga dito, hindi natin makalimutan dahil ito ay isang pinagdidiriwang ng buong bansa, ay ‘yung Malolos Congress na bumuo ng unang Konstitusyon sa buong Asya — ang Malolos Constitution. Dito sa Malolos, dito sa Bulacan ipinakita ng mga Pilipino ang pagpapahalaga at paggalang sa Saligang Batas. Tamang-tama, naalaala natin ‘yon dahil itong pagpapahalaga sa ating saligang batas ay muling napatunayan sa Davide impeachment case, kung saan ang desisyon ng Korte Suprema base sa Konstitusyon ay inayunan at iginalang ng sambayanang Pilipino.

Kailangan talaga mayroon tayong rekonsilyasyon at panibagong pagkakaisa kung gusto nating sumulong ang bansa. Kailangan natin ang kapayapaan kung gusto nating kaunlaran para sa bansa. Para sa katahimikan ng pag-iisip ng taong bayan, dapat patahimikin na natin ang kontrobersiya ng krisis ng impeachement pagkatapos na resolbahan sa paraang maka-saligang batas. Lahat ng mga panig sa alitan ay kumilos na maka-bansa at tayo dapat tayo magkaisa at pasiglahin natin ang ating mga institusyong demokratiko kaysa pahinain pa sila.

Binubuksan ko muli ang sinsero at tahimik na pag-uusap sa lahat ng mga grupong may kinalaman, at inaasahan ko na pakikinggan nila ang panawagan sa maka-prinsipyong rekonsilyasyon. Itong maka-prinsipyong rekonsilyasyon ay talagang panawagan ng ating mga panahon. Hindi lamang ‘yung maka-prinsipyong rekonsilyasyon sa iba’t-ibang panig ng alitan sa nakaraang impeachment crisis kung hindi na rin ‘yung tuluyan rekonsilyasyon na hinahanap natin sa pamamagitan ng mga npa at ‘yung gobyerno, milf doon sa mindanao, ‘yung gobyerno, ‘yung mga importante rin ang rekonsilyasyon sa pamamagitan ng mga pwersa ng Edsa Dos at Edsa Tres. ‘Yan ang napakaimportanteng rekonsilyasyon na dapat habulin natin ngayon.

Ang taumbayan kasi ay kailangan makita ang pwersa nakakapag-kaisa kung hindi ang taong bayan mismo ang magwawatak-watak at hihina sa pagharap sa mga nakakasindak na hamon. Ang mga hamon natin, ang batayang hamon natin ay dalawa — pairalin ang kapayapaan, labanan ang kahirapan. Ang bansa ay kailangang mahilom sa pamamagitan ng pinagkaisang patriyotismo at damdaming tungkulin maging mga lider, maging sambayanan.

Ako sa mga nakaraang krisis, nakaraang krisis ng impeachment, habang tumutulong makahanap ng solusyon sa paraang magpairal ng dignidad ng mga dakilang institusyon ng ating pamahalan, tuloy-tuloy ang ating higit na pansin sa mga serbisyong pang-kalakalan at pang-kabuhayan. Dahil hindi naman pwedeng tumigil ang pagtakbo ng ating bansa porke’t lamang may alitan o hidwaan.

Sinisikap kasi natin magkaroon ng malakas na republika. Salamat na lamang na sa matagal na problema natin ay meron tayong mga nakakamit. Matagal na nating problema ang pagpapasigla ng ating ekonomiya dahil ang pagpasigla ng ekonomiya ay siya ang solusyon sa kahirapan. Kaya kaunlaran ‘yung pinag-uusapan natin sa summit na ito. Mabuti na lamang na sa gitna ng impeachment crisis noon pa tumaas ang ating stock market sa pinakamataas na sigla sa loob ng nakaraang dalawampung buwan. Ibig sabihin noon nandiyan pa rin ang tiwala ng mga nagnenegosyo sa ating bansa. At sa maikling panahon, marami tayong naitaguyod. Itong mga magkakaroon ng bagong buhay at bagong bahay, sila ay bahagi ng naitaguyod nating pinakamalaking housing program at land tenure program sa maralitang taga-lungsod sa buong kasaysayan. Maraming mahihirap, hindi lamang itong mga ladies nating naka-berde sa kanan ko ang nabigyan ng karapatang magkaroon ng bagong tahanan at nabigyang karapatang bilhin ang lupang tinitirikan. At ito ay… Ang dami noon dahil limampung taon, tatlumpung taon na naghihintay. Ang dami ko nang nakitang umiiyak dahil hindi nila naisip na mangyayari ito sa wakas, pero nangyari sa ating administrasyon.

‘Yung bigas, ‘yung isda, ‘yung parating binibili ng mahihirap, hanggang ngayon napapanatili pa rin natin ang presyo ng pagkaing binibili ng mahihirap. At ang koleksiyon ng ating buwis, lumalakas, dahil inayos natin ang sistema ng koleksiyon, kasama na ang lifestyle checks at iba pang mga panlaban sa katiwalian. At dahil na rin sa magandang mga batas na ginawa ng Congress tungkol sa ayos ng ating sistema ng koleksiyon ng buwis. Kaya, congratulations sa ating limang congressman na narito ngayon.

Sabihin man ng mga nagbabatikos, kung ano ang sasabihin nila, ang ating GNP growth rate noong itong taong ito ang pinakamataas na nakamit natin mula noong ating 1997 Asian financial crisis. At sabihin man — kung ano ang sasabihin ng mga nagbabatikos sa atin — dalawampu’t isang ekonomiya sa Asia-Pacific o APEC, sa dalawampu’t isang ekonomiya, ang ating growth itong taon ay pang-anim sa lahat sa dalawampu’t isa. Ibig sabihin nun hambing sa labinglima sa ating mga karatig ekonomiya sa Asia at Pacific ay mas maganda ang ating performance.

Ngunit kahit mas maganda ang ating performance kumpara sa ating mga karatig-bansa at ito ay totoo sa nakalipas na dalawa at kalahating taon ng aking administrasyon, ang mga bansang ito sa aking pagbibisita at pag-uusap ay nagsisimula na muling umahon. Kaya sa pagkakataong ito dapat hindi nila tayong maiwan pag-ahon nila.

Kaya ito ang mga kailangan nating gawin. Maging sa paglaban sa krimen lalo na sa laban sa iligal na droga meron tayong mga importanteng tagumpay. Nagpapasalamat ako sa nalaman ko kanina kay Josie na doon sa Doña Remedios Trinidad magkakaroon ng rehabilitation center para sa ating mga drug addiction victims. Ito ay ngo-initiated, kaya mabuhay ang mga bulakenyong NGO at private sector. Malubha ang problema ng droga kaya ‘yon ay isa sa mga batayan ng performance ng ating mga pulis, chief at police director.

Kahapon, ang mga pulis ay nakahuli ng ini-smuggle na drogang halagang isang bilyong piso pagkatapos nang masinsinang intelligence operations diyaan sa inyong karatig-bayan, sa Valenzuela. Ito ay napakaimportante. Kasi noong unang tatlong buwan ng ating panibagong paglalaban kontra sa droga pagkatapos ng ating State of the Nation Address ay marami na tayong mga drug bust sa mga drug lord na noong araw ay untouchable. Marami tayong mga pabrikang nasarado ng shabu kaya naging mahal ang shabu sa kalsada. Ngunit ganunpaman, kahit na naging mahal, tumaas nang five times, meron pa rin. Eh, kung nasarado na ang mga pabrika, saan nanggagaling ‘yon? Nanggagaling sa importation, nanggagaling sa smuggling. Kaya doon natin nilagay ang ating detective work. At kahapon doon sa isang pabrika nahuli, nakalagay pala sa ilalim ng sofa, furniture imports kunyari. At doon nga, one billion pesos ang drogang nahanap. Pinakamabisa, pinakamabungang drug bust sa kasaysayan ng ating bansa.

At dito sa Bulacan, alam kong abala kayo sa problema ng droga. Alam ko na ang mga barangay dito sa Bulacan ay hindi magpapaiwan sa kampanyang ito. Nalaman ko na pati ang mga Homeowners Association dito sa Bulacan ay gustong tumulong. Talagang kailangan ko ang inyong tulong. Maganda ‘yan, religious ngo nagtatayo ng drug rehab center. Homeowners Association, private sector sumasama sa paghanap ng mga drug pushers. Maganda ‘yan at dapat tularan ng mga kaparehong asosasyon at ngo sa ibang lugar. Huwaran talaga ang Bulacan.

Sa buong Pilipinas, talagang meron tayong maraming tagumpay tungkol sa kapayapaan. Napahina rin natin ang Abu Sayyaf. Nabasa ko sa peryodiko, isa doon sa mga main leaders ng kidnapping nung Sipadan pa noon panahong year 2000 ay nasugpo ng ating mga sundalo. At puspusang kinakampanya nating madakip ang mga kasapi ng Jemaah Islamiyah, para sa ganun ay masugpo sila bago sila kumalat hanggang dito sa Luzon at Bulacan.

Ang pamahalaan ay nagsisikap na gawin ang lahat ng ito para sa lahat ng Pilipino, dahil gaya nang sabi ng inyong tema ng inyong summit kailangan ang kapayapaan para sa kaunlaran. At ginagawa natin ito lalung-lalo na sa ating mga kabataan, tulad ng kabataan dito sa eskwelahang ito, ‘yung nasa kaliwa ko dahil kayo ang kinabukasan ng ating bansa.

Dito sa Bulacan, nagkaroon nga kayo ng summit, may ilang mga… Si Josie ang kailangang sasagot. Ngunit meron ding ilang nakita ko na may kinalaman ang national government. ‘Yung iba pinag-aaralan — lahat nga pinag-aaralan — pero meron akong tatlong nakita na medyo dapat siguro bigyan na ng anunsiyo ngayon pa man. O, bakit dalawa na lang ito? Ayun. Hindi. Ah, ayun, ayun. Okey. Ano kaya ang uunahin ko dito?

Ah, gusto kong batiin ang bulacan kasi ang gaganda ng mga produkto ninyo, lalong gaganda sa packaging na ginagawang tulong ni Raul Hernandez dito sa Bulacan. At dahil napag-usapan natin ‘yung pangangalakal ng Bulacan, ‘yung North Food Exchange, sabi ni Josie anim na taon na n’yang linalakad kaya talagang kailangan karanasan at panahon para matupad. And may anim na taon, kaya inuutos ko ang TESDA, NEDA, Foreign Affairs — nandito ‘yung anak ni ka Blas Ople. Ay, hi! Si Felix Ople — at ang DOST na tulungan ang probinsiya ng Bulacan para pabilisan, pabilisan ang information component ng North Food Exchange.

Ngayon, alam n’yo ang Bulacan malapit hindi lamang sa aking ama, kungdi sa akin, kundi na rin sa aking ama. At panahon ng aking tatay, parating kinikuwento sa akin ni Mayor De Leon pag nagpupunta ako doon — noong una pang panahon ng aking pagpupunta doon — “ang tatay mo ang nagbigay ng patubig dito sa Bulacan, sa Angat.” eh, ngayon mukhang kailangan nang panibagong trabaho sa Angat. Kaya nalaman ko meron pala noong 1992 pa isang MOU sa pamamagitan ng MWSS at saka Provincial Government of Bulacan kung papano ma-allocate ang tubig ng angat. Eh, dapat naman siguro ang MWSS, 1992 pa ‘yon — ‘yan ang problema pagpalit nang palit ng pangulo eh — mabuti na lang, na-research natin sa pamamagitan nitong summit na ‘to. Kaya inuutusan ko ‘yung MWSS na balikan itong 1992 MOU kasama ng probinsiya ng bulacan at tignan kung papano matupad itong allocation na ito.

Tapos ‘yung pangatlo. Merong Bayabas Dam Project, sa DRT na naman. Ano ba itong DRT? At merong… Kasi nga may problema kayo ng patubig at merong rekomendasyon na gumawa ako ng Executive Committee na siya ang mag-o-oversee ng build-operate-and-transfer implementation ng Bayabas Dam. Gumawa raw ako ng Inter-Agency Committee. Hindi ako naniniwala sa committee eh. Naniniwala ako sa isang tao lamang dapat nag-o-oversee o isang kagawaran. Kaya itong Memorandum Order na sinasabing “create an inter-agency committee to oversee the build-operate-and-transfer implementation of the Bayabas dam.” papalitan ko itong Memorandum Order. Sasabihin ko “Authorizing the Governor of Bulacan to oversee the B-O-T transfer.”

Importante talaga na tayo ay nagkakasama para matugunan itong mga pangangailangan. Madali mag-usap ng prinsipyo at saka theory eh. Madali magbatikos kung ano ang masamang ginagawa o pangit na ginagawa o mali. Pero mahirap ang magpatupad — execution. At ‘yang execution ay nanggagaling sa karanasan, sa alam natin kung saan-saan ang mga papeles naghahanap, ‘yan ang tinatawag na bahagi ng learning curve. At ang masasabi natin, itong ginanap natin sa ating summit na ito, ‘yan ay isang malaking tutulong sa tagumpay para maunawaan natin ang kailangang gawin para sa pangunahing lalawigan ng Bulacan, na siya rin kung kayo ay maunlad, maunlad ang buong Pilipinas.

Maraming salamat sa inyong lahat.

Source: Official Gazette

2002

For a petite woman, Bulacan governor Josefina dela Cruz packs a lot of dynamism and passion, not to mention, sense.

Unlike the traditional politicians who want their constituents to be heard only come election time, Governor dela Cruz is feedback-crazy.

“Ang hirap sa politico, napapaligiran kami ng mga sipsip. Hindi tuloy namin nalalaman kung ano ang tama. (Our problem as politicians is that we are surrounded by people who always want to please us. We have no way of knowing what’s right.),” she says.

These people, she says, understandably have their own vested interests and agendas. They isolate the politicians from their constituency, and render policy making a hit-or-miss affair.

“We wanted something more scientific… The sentiment of those who speak is not necessarily the sentiment of those who choose to be quiet. So our dilemma is, how do we know what the people really want?” she argues.

Under the Constituent Responsive Governance Project, the Bulacan provincial government used the survey research method to get a truly representative citizen’s feedback on projects. By doing so, chances for costly mistakes are minimized.

Four programs and projects were pre-tested: the health insurance program, solid waste disposal, feedback on real property tax billing statement, and the acceptability of a community radio. In each case, the provincial government found that the surveys lessened the chance for mistakes.

A case in point is health insurance. The survey showed only 35% of Bulacan households were aware of what health insurance was all about yet some were still not insured. This showed the need for a health insurance system in the province. However, respondents were concerned about the premiums they have to shell out every month and the extent of coverage for the beneficiaries. Thus, they were also polled on the price they were willing to pay for health insurance.

Based on these findings, the provincial government launched on February 24, 2000 the “Medicare Para sa Masa, Kalusugan Mo Katulong Ako” program. The local government, however, chose not to heed one of the findings in the survey: for the province to set up its own health insurance system instead of getting Philhealth,the national healthcare provider.

Two years after the program was launched, the provincial government realized the high cost it is paying for Philhealth premiums. The governor now regrets the decision to go on with the program against the findings of the survey.

Another poll was on the acceptability of the community radio station. Through pre-testing, the provincial government found out that while most Bulakeños get their information from the radio, they tune in to stations that have music, as well as news and information. This enabled the provincial government to change the station’s programming to suit its constituency’s tastes and lifestyles.

Through the survey research method, Bulacan has placed project planning into a higher plane, one that sets aside political interests.

“Surveys make decisions apolitical,” Governor dela Cruz says. Proof that it is not politically costly, she says, is the fact that “I’m still here.”

This program is recognized as one of the Ten Outstanding Programs in the 2002 Galing Pook Awards.

Source: Galing Pook

The Senate and leading academic institutions honored recently the first winners of the newly launched Local Government Leadership Award during ceremonies that coincided with the celebration of the Senate’s 86th anniversary.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr., acknowledged as the father of the Local Government Code, said the award honors and recognizes local leaders and the exemplary role they have played in local governance within the last 11 years of decentralization.

The winners of the first LGL Award were Bulacan Gov. Josefina de la Cruz, most outstanding governor; Mayors Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City and Franklin Quijano of Iligan City, most outstanding city mayors; and Concepcion (Iloilo) Mayor Raul Banias, most outstanding municipal mayor.

De la Cruz finished management engineering, cum laude, and psychology, magna cum laude, both at the Ateneo de Manila. During her term as Bulacan governor, she won the Konrad Adenauer Local Government Award (1999), Most Outstanding Local Government Unit in Population Development (1999), Gawad Galing Pook Award for Reinventing Public Service (2000) and Lingkod ng Bayan (2000).

Osmeña, younger brother of Sen. Sergio Osmeña III, is also a recipient of several national awards for tourism, street children programs, computerization, countryside development and anti-drug programs.

Quijano, the son of a mechanic and a public school teacher, was a consistent honor student during his school days. He finished Economics, cum laude at the University of San Carlos in Cebu City. As Iligan City mayor, he transformed the city with his numerous projects, including the integrated bus terminal, road widening, overpass and drainage improvement and urban poor housing. Under his term, marginalized sectors were organized and federated, and livelihood and agriculture were given added attention.

Banias is on his second term as mayor of Concepcion, Iloilo. After finishing his studies in medicine, he volunteered in a medical outreach program in Concepcion and that started his career as a public servant. He won as No. 1 councilor of the town in 1992 in his very first stint in politics although he ran as independent. He won unopposed as vice mayor in 1995.

The winners were given P100,000 each. Senate President Franklin Drilon sweetened the award by announcing that they, along with their fellow finalists in the search would have added benefits via the Priority Area Development Fund of senators.

As directed by Drilon, each of the four governor finalists would get P2 million worth of projects; each of the five city mayor finalists, P1 million in projects; and each of the 10 municipal mayor finalists, P500,000.

Dela Cruz’s fellow finalists were Governors Isagani Amatong of Zamboanga del Norte, Bartolome Marasigan of Oriental Mindoro, and Leonardo Roman of Bataan.

The fellow finalists of Quijano and Osmeña were Mayors Santiago Barcelona of Escalante City, Albert Raymund Garcia of Balanga City, and Randolph Ting of Tuguegarao City. — Efren Danao

Source: PhilStar Global

PUBLIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS A LOCAL GOVERNANCE
STRATEGY IN DECENTRALIZING POLITY
－EXEMPLARY INITIATIVES FROM THE PHILIPPINES－

by: Aser B. JAVIER

Public Entrepreneurship as Strategy for Decentralizing Polity

(page 25)

The choice or selection of the three case sites as the setting for the study is justified. All three local government units（LGUs）have achieved Hall of Fame status in the Innovations and Excellence in Local Governance（Gawad Galing Pook Awards）sponsored by the Ford Foundation, meaning they have been awarded for exemplary local governance for five  consecutive years. Only seven LGUs have achieved Hall of Fame status since the establishment of Galing Pook Awards in 1993, with a total of 136 LGUs awarded. The Hall of Famers are two provincial governments（Bulacan and Davao, four city governments（Marikina City, Puerto Princesa City, Naga City and San Carlos City）and one municipality（Irosin) . The three LGUs are also ideal for public entrepreneurship research because, as nationally recognized exemplary local governance performers, they have instituted a variety of programs that support public entrepreneurship. They also have a common agenda incorporating and sustaining developmental and political gains for wider avenues of administrative reforms, creativity and innovations in governance and increased peoples’ participation.

Energizing the Bureaucracy in the Provincial Government of Bulacan

Bulacan was the site of the drafting and ratification of the famous 1935 Philippines constitution. More than its historical pride, the province of Bulacan became famous in local government circles when it ventured into entreprenurship programs even before the 1991 Local Government Code, under the stewardship of a private sector executive, Roberto Pagdanganan. Pagdanganan was challenged by the prevailing situation in the province where a few elite controlled the state of governance and there were poor investments, inadequate infrastructure and generally negative attitude towards the bureaucracy. Pagdanganan was given the electorates confidence based on his Five Point Development Agenda－(1） sustainable economic development, cooperatives as the centerpiece program,（2）peace and order, (3）youth, cultural and historical development,（4）effective delivery of health and social services ; and   （5） instituting reforms in the bureaucracy.

The Five Point Agenda’ s major component was reforms in the bureaucracy. Josefina dela Cruz was Pagdanganan’ s vice-governor and member of the group responsible for the initial attempts at reforming the bureaucracy. The reigns of power were handed-over by the people of Bulacan to dela Cruz as governor from 1998 to present.

The Five Point Agenda continued by dela Cruz pursued the concept of reinventing the bureaucracy of the provincial government. From an outsiders’ perspective, the idea of a decentralized polity based on energizing the bureaucracy is not strategically new, but such activity is crucial to Bulacan because she believes in putting her ‘home’ in order first. Before she can accomplish more, she must be backed-up by an efficient and effective bureaucracy.

The Energizing the Bureaucracy program is a re-organization program that aims to increase the level of workforce productivity in the long-term and match the needs and priorities of the provincial government in the short-term. It is the third attempt at reorganization in the province and the only one among the three initiatives that was completed. Governor dela Cruz created a Management Evaluation Group tasked of assessing the employee’ s performance, duplication of functions and the general organization structure of the province. The output was used by the newly created Reorganization Committee（with a mandate from Executive Order No.7）for a planned two-pronged reorganization program－streamlining and capacity building. It combines the downsizing of personnel and streamlining of administrative processes and at the same time providing the training of personnel for improving job responsibilities.

The streamlining of positions resulted to a relatively lean workforce number of 1,737 as of June 30, 2001 compared to 2,052 as of December 31, 1995. The streamlining has resulted in the abolition of 315 positions since 1995. Consultation with various offices were made by the re-organization team and those whose performance evaluation were below the standards set by their office supervisors were either retired, transferred to another office, or contracts were not renewed or terminated from the service. Those personnel affected were personally met by the governor and consequently downgraded the heated emotions. As a result of this simple managerial initiative of the governor, possible legal cases were avoided. The re-organization also opened up opportunities for competent personnel to rise in the hierarchy through transfer, promotion and direct competition for available positions. Previously, promotion can happen only when there is either death or resignation of employees or through the creation of new positions out of patronage. As Governor dela Cruz puts it, lets bring in good people to the bureaucracy because of their qualifications and merit instead of patronage. Likewise an employee handbook was conceptualized to inform employees and remind them of their responsibilities. Whereas previously, employees look at their jobs from how they have been structured through their own experiences in the bureaucracy, now, a standard governs their actions on top of the minimum output required of their positions.

Also, as part of the accompanying strategies for the reorganization, management cell groups were organized with five members in each department to discuss cases, values and guidelines. The group discussions center on problem resolution or discussion of management values vital to the organization. This project is part of the long-term vision of changing the culture of government personnel and in making Bulacan a center for the development of a culture of excellence（Bulacan, Pandayan ng Kultura ng Kahusayan).

Also part of the reorganization program is the drive for administrative efficiency, which was done partly through the abandonment of some obsolete systems and procedures through their computerization programs. Full computerization of strategic operations was envisioned as part of energizing the bureaucracy. Government systems/operations such as personnel records, real property tax records, records management and payroll management systems are major processes that are being computerized for ease of storage and of course, efficiency. Personnel information record or  Civil Service 201 files are slowly being computerized enabling the Human Resource Office to determine offhand the administrative（e.g. personnel benefits, leave credits, etc.）and technical information needs（e.g. training）of employees. The province of Bulacan was one of the pioneers among the LGUs in the Philippines to computerize its administrative operations.

In terms of revenue generation, delinquent taxpayers are easily identified in the real property tax database. As a result of the information accessibility, new programs to enhance collection of real property taxes were made. An education campaign aimed at increased awareness on the value of taxation is also currently being made in schools, business and the municipalities. These efforts have resulted in the increase in revenue collection in terms of real property tax. In 1998, it has even exceeded targets by 18%.

Governor dela Cruz believes that as part of the decentralization of powers to the local government, part of her authority should also be delegated to the people to empower them. Governor dela Cruz’ idea was to separate her functions as a strategic decision-maker from daily operational management. In this manner, the strategy utilized by the governor is to band together the department heads to form her management core group aside from the outside networks from the academe that provide for the validation of ideas. Since they are now considered leaders with specific functions as management executives, they are also on their toes as they ‘hobnob’ with reputable persons from the academe as part of Governor dela Cruz management circle. They do not function as de-facto leaders without accountability, which usually characterize local level politics in the Philippines. The new initiative is a far cry from the traditional top-down decision-making, centralized hierarchy that characterized the management of the province then.

Further, the creation of a special project office under the Office of the Governor signaled the provincial government’ s intention to pursue vigorously innovative projects outside the stringent rules of the bureaucracy. As Governor dela Cruz said,“I am not happy with the status quo.” The special projects office function as an academy and provides the necessary inputs to the governor and the departments. The inputs are based on citizens polling and feedback mechanisms through surveys that they implement under the tutelage of the Asian Institute of Management（AIM）consultants.

The LGU perspective of public entrepreneurship viewed from the context of energizing the bureaucracy follows the trend of the new management bandwagon in local governance. Concurrently, however, the community perceives public entrepreneurship as assistance to business and industry, poverty alleviation and administrative reforms executed by the LGU. The difference in the perspective of the LGUs and the community lies in the fact that the role of the LGU in the community may not be sufficient enough to completely saturate the community with information or that the LGU has not been able to fulfill all the demands of the public. The strategy of prioritizing reforms in the bureaucracy has dwindled the notion of public entrepreneurship as a concept known only among and within the local government actors.

As a means to enact public entrepreneurship programs, the development agenda played major roles primarily hinging on energizing the bureaucracy program. The creation of the special project office under the office of the governor is a step toward veering away from the restrictive boundaries of bureaucracy. The support of the legislative council through the resolutions and ordinances were main pillars used as legal instrument to back public entrepreneurship programs.

While the province has ventured into reforms, some challenges were also identified. The measures to quantify the results of the reorganization in terms of personnel productivity and an evaluation  of the energizing the bureaucracy program are still management challenges. Also, to quell the ‘political color that might have been painted’as a result of the reorganization, a simple evaluation mechanism and program reporting is a logical necessity. In addition, it has been noted that locally-sourced income has decreased from 30.13% share in 1999 to 15.40% in 2000 despite the initiatives of enhancing real property taxation through the computerization efforts. These are political and management challenges that need to be hurdled by the province.

The principles of public entrepreneurship in Bulacan however, have not gone unnoticed. Bulacan has garnered the distinction of excellence in local governance through the many awards they have received, both international and national. They have become a Hall of Famer in the Gawad Galing Pook awards for exemplary governance for winning three consecutive awards. They were also a recipient of the 1999 Konrad Adenauer Local Governance Award, the Gawad Pamana ng Lahi Award for outstanding local governance for 1996 and 1997 and recently were recognized by the Human Development Network for having the highest HDIs in the Philippines.

Source: Forum of International Development Studies, 21 (Mar. 2002) PUBLIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS A LOCAL GOVERNANCE STRATEGY IN DECENTRALIZING POLITY －EXEMPLARY INITIATIVES FROM THE PHILIPPINES－ by: Aser B. JAVIER

The official inauguration of the Museum-Library turnover to the local government unit of Baliuag was held on August 9, 1998. The event was graced by Bulacan Governor Josefina M. Dela Cruz, Gemma Cruz-Araneta, and members of the Baliwag Tourism Council.

The renovated building was officially accepted by Mayor Rolando Salvador as part of the municipal government’s property. The inauguration event was a lively celebration, featuring traditional performances such as the “”Buntal Hat Dance”” and “”Sayaw sa Nayon,”” which showcased the rich cultural heritage of the community.

Notable attendees included Rustan’s Justa Tantoco, former Bulacan Vice Governor Willie Villarama, his wife Tesie Villarama, and prominent Baliwag business mogul Antonio Cabangon Chua, all of whom contributed to the vibrant atmosphere of the occasion. The gathering underscored both the significance of the building’s renovation and the strong support from local leaders and community members.

Source: Alchetron.com