4th Philippine Quality Award Forum Inspiring More Local Organizations to Achieve Performance Excellence

The Department of Trade and Industry- Competitiveness Bureau recently held the 4^th leg of the Philippine Quality Award (PQA) Forum at the Lyceum of the Philippines University, Capitol Site, Batangas City this year. 

The PQA Forum is conducted annually to showcase the best practices of the previous cycles' PQA recipients. It provides insights for local organizations on how they can achieve performance excellence through the PQA. This forum has been helpful in encouraging other local organizations to deliver a quality service or goods and ensure organizational sustainability by establishing sound processes. 

The Conferment Ceremony of Philippine Quality Award was held in Malacañang Palace last October 24, 2018, wherein 16 organizations received the various recognition levels from President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. With that, four of these recipients from Region IV-A were invited to share their success stories and PQA Journey in this event. The City Government of Tanauan, the Department of Science and Technology IV-A, Colegio de San Juan de Letran – Calamba, and the host for this year’s forum, Lyceum of the Philippines – Batangas, actively shared relevant information in improving an organization’s effectiveness that other companies can emulate. 

Presenters of the forum discussed about lessons they have learned from the results of the assessment, outlook on the future using the PQA system, and of course, best practices with specific results achieved. This information will be useful for aspiring organizations to level up the quality of products and services that they offer to their customers. 

The forum has been a success for being attended by several representatives from the public and private sectors of Region IV-A. This served as a venue for other organizations to gain knowledge from the stories of PQA recipients' quality performance and adapt the strategies towards performance results, leadership effectiveness, customer and employee satisfaction, process management, and being one of the best organizations to deliver quality goods and services. 

DTI 4-A Aims a Bigger, Better, and Smarter Trade Solution for Southern Luzon

To promote the competitive advantages of using the Batangas International Port for cargoes (inbound/outbound), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 4-A, in cooperation with the Asian Terminals, Inc. and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA)- Batangas, conducted “The Batangas Port Forum” for the benefit of industry stakeholders and potential users, presenting updates and developments on the Batangas Container Terminal (BCT) on August 15, 2019 in Batangas City, Batangas.

“We, in the DTI, would like our manufacturers and exporters here in CALABARZON to further grow and develop by being efficient and cost effective in their logistics and transportation cost in bringing their goods to their intended market. Likewise, we would like Batangas Port to be fully utilized and efficient, not just as a transshipment hub but also as a port that can directly ship cargoes to international destinations at the least possible time,” said DTI CALABARZON Director Marilou Q. Toledo.

The forum tackled issues that hinder industries, exporters, importers, and other stakeholders from utilizing the port fully, including the big possibility to have a direct shipment from Batangas Port to Japan once the volume requirement is met, shortening the transit time. Subsequently, a windshield tour around Batangas port was provided.

In the presentation of ATI Marketing Manager Jel M. Yulo on updates and development of the Batangas Port, she enumerated the advantages to Southern Luzon exporters and manufacturers of using the Batangas Port such as, improved cash flow, maximized free time of shipping lines, lesser storage cost versus port charges, lesser trucking cost, and shorter delivery call-in lead time. Some of the recent developments in the port are the ongoing civil works on crane rails, berth connectivity, yard rehabilitation, and expanded container yard.

Moreover, ATI released its first mobile application named Mobile Port or MPort—designed in its first stage to bring information on Client’s transaction by giving data as it happens when it happens.

“The presence of everyone in the government and private sector is a clear manifestation of their great commitment towards the economic prosperity of our country, particularly in response to the increasing business opportunity in the CALABARZON region,” said PPA Batangas Acting Manager Ambrocio O. Ilao.

“Rest assured that the PPA will support and serve in this growing business opportunity by providing port facilities and services of global standard,” added Ilao.

Around 100 participants from shipping lines such as Sealand Maersk, CMA-CGM, Evergreen Shipping, COSCO Shipping, and Wan Hai Lines, ecozone associations from the electronics, automotive, and metals sectors, manufacturers from coco-based and food sector, and government agencies like the Bureau of Customs and the National Economic Development Authority attended the forum.

The event was an offshoot of the Roundtable Discussion (RTD) on Batangas Port Issues held last June 28, 2019 in Calamba City, Laguna attended by representatives from the DTI 4-A, DTI Batangas, ATI, PPA, Export Marketing Bureau, Board of Investments, Bureau of Import Services, Export Development Council, Regional Development Council- Sectoral Committee on Infrastructure Development, Philippine Economic Zone Authority, Light Industry & Science Park II and III, and logistics and shipping companies.

SEC. LOPEZ, PARAÑAQUE MAYOR OLIVAREZ LAUNCH EXPRESS LANE OPERATION 2.0

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez (3rd from R), together with Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez (2nd from R), and Anti-Red Tape Authority Director General Jeremiah Belgica launched on 8 August 2019 the Project Express Lane Operation (ELO) 2.0, which streamlines and offers transparency on business permit processing in the city through innovative information technology solutions. Project ELO 2.0 is the second phase of the city’s program that integrates barangay business clearance in the Business One Stop Shop operations in the city hall. It features 3-step process for business registration where permits are released within 2 hours, depending on the type of business.  Sec. Lopez commended the local government for being a trailblazer in automating transactions and simplifying processes that support the policies and programs of President Rodrigo Duterte in providing comfortable lives to Filipinos. The Secretary emphasized the role of automation in ease of doing business and attracting investors. According to Mayor Olivarez, the project is the fruit of consolidated efforts to raise the bar in delivering services to the people. At the same event, DTI and Parañaque City government also signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will integrate a system for verification of registered business names to their local IT system.