The Philippine Quality Award (PQA) Committee, headed by the Department of Trade and Industry Competitiveness Bureau (DTI-CB) as the Award Manager, with the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), as the Award Administrator for the public sector, continues the implementation of activities pertaining to the 23rd Cycle of the PQA amidst the country’s coping with the impact of the corona virus disease. Due to the disruptions caused by the current pandemic, the PQA Committee has anticipated a low turn out of applications. But, a good number of public sector organizations have expressed interest to apply, and now, the application period has been extended till June 30, 2020, along with the deadline for the submission of the Application Report being moved to September 28, 2020.
First Online PQA Application Development Course
The PQA, which is the highest level of national recognition for exemplary organizational performance, was institutionalized through the signing of Republic Act No. 9013 – Philippine Quality Award Act on February 28, 2001. Patterned after the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award of the United States of America, it is a global competitiveness template that aims to encourage and engage organizations both in the public and private sectors to strive for and attain performance excellence. A prerequisite to the PQA application is the attendance to the PQA Application Development Course.
For the first time, the PQA Application Development Course was conducted online on July 6 – 10, 2020 and was attended by 24 individuals from 13 public sector organizations who were assisted and trained to understand, interpret and use the PQA Performance Excellence Framework in writing a complete application report.
New Normal in the PQA Assessment Process
As we face the “new normal,” some necessary changes in the PQA assessment process were initiated. The applicant-organizations are now allowed to submit a pdf copy of their Application Report rather than the old requirement of 15 original copies. PQA assessors will be shifting to an online approach in doing the consensus meetings and, if the pandemic persists, even the site visit will also be conducted virtually. The assessors will work virtually in teams to assess each of the applicant-organizations against the PQA criteria using video conferencing and remote assessment.
“It is interesting to note that despite the current pandemic, there are still public sector organizations that are committed to subject themselves to the PQA assessment this year,” said Melani Mercader, DAP Project Manager. “These organizations are those that are eager to experience improvements in the way they deliver their services. Through the use of the PQA Performance Excellence Framework, these organizations will certainly remain relevant and effective and will gain meaningful results in the way they implement their mandates”.
The PQA recipients/awardees get to sharpen their organizational tools for achieving business results, and position the organization for future growth and profitability based on the feedback report, which is similar to a 3rd party evaluation highlighting the executive and overall summaries of strengths and opportunities for improvement vis-a-vis the detailed requirements of the PQA criteria. If the organization achieves the score to merit the Award, it will receive a trophy bearing the Seal of the President of the Philippines and the PQA logo. The President of the Philippines approves and personally confers the Award.
DAP-PDC has been providing training interventions for capacitating and guiding organizations towards getting the PQA. More information on the services of the DAP’s Productivity and Development Center is available through www.dap.edu.ph or for inquiries feel free to send an email through pdc@dap.edu.ph. For the latest information on the PQA, visit pqa.dti.gov.ph.