The Public Management Development Program formally opened its 17th batch of Middle Managers Class consisting of 34 scholars from various government agencies last February 23 at the Development Academy of the Philippines Conference Center in Tagaytay City, with Commission on Elections Commissioner Luie Tito Guia keynoting the activity.
Commissioner Guia told the participants as well as members of the previous batch that is still undergoing training that the PMDP program has been a boon to the government. “Government institutions such as the one I work for, the Comelec, have and will greatly benefit from the PMDP,” Commissioner Guia said as he cited four of his middle managers and four of his senior executives that have graduated from the same program in previous batches. “I hear them speak confidently now after their graduation in front of their co-workers and superiors, (and they) facilitate workshops, lead discussions and present their ideas. The confidence which was not there before is (now) there.”
Not only an executive
Commissioner Guia also advised the scholars not to be deceived by the idea that only when one occupies an executive position in the government would he be able to make a difference. “I hope you come out of this program not just better at implementing or policy making or more competent at what you’re doing. I hope this program fires you up, imbues you with great passion and commitment to stick it out in government beyond your service contracts,” he said.
Meanwhile, Erizelle Linaban, Bank Officer V of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and an MMC Batch 6 alumna, shared her experience during her inspirational speech. “Though it is not guaranteed that you’ll have the same wonderful experience as I (did), what is prepared for you is an experience beyond learning,” Linaban said as she claimed to have witnessed a big change in her life after graduating from the same program.
Challenge
Filven Noche, chief public information officer of the Southern Luzon Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and MMC Batch 16 Sangbigkis class president, posed this challenge to the members of Batch 17: “Can you surpass and exceed people’s expectation through your excellent academic performance and as an agent of change and development?”
Mardy Lee, Medical Officer V from the Bureau of Corrections, responded to the challenge by saying, “I humbly accept the challenge and its responsibility in behalf of the MMC Batch 17 to take the road less traveled and to uphold the culture of excellence in government service and to adhere to the PMDP’s core values of commitment, competence and integrity.”
‘High-performing, high-potential’
Since the Public Management Development Program was implemented in 2012, some 621 career service personnel have graduated from the Middle Managers Class, with 438 having completed their Master in Development Management.
The Middle Managers Class is designed for “high-performing and high-potential” incumbents in government occupying salary grade-20 to 24 positions and aged 50 years and below. It is delivered in a five-month residential training with working breaks in between, including a 10-day sensing journey, and a reentry project conceptualization and implementation for six months. Those who complete the 11-month program receive their Master in Development Management while those who complete just the residential training receive certificates of completion.