A year after reviving its Performance Governance Scorecard (PGS) journey towards good governance, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) passed the Proficiency Stage and was awarded by the Institute for Solidary (ISA) with a Silver Trailblazer Award during the online revalida on December 9.

The PGS is a holistic and collaborative framework for designing, executing, monitoring, and sustaining roadmaps to reforms.  Through the PGS, the DSWD was able to come up with strategic initiatives aimed at helping the Department fulfill its vision. The PGS is championed by ISA, a non-profit organization which is committed to facilitating transformations in public service for a better Philippines.

A Silver Trailblazer Award for the PGS is given to an institution with breakthrough results, with regular progress reports on strategy; with regular process coaching for lower level units; with presence of rewards mechanisms; and with initiatives led by the Multi-Sectoral Governance Council (MSGC) partners.

The online revalida is a virtual platform wherein an institution showcases its progress in the PGS journey, providing ISA a closer look of the processes and systems put in place, as well as the breakthroughs in program implementation as a result of the PGS.

No holds barred during the online revalida

During the revalida, DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista presented to the panel the journey undertaken by the Department in pursuing the Proficiency Stage level.  The panel was composed of ISA Trustee Guillermo M. Luz as the chair, and IloIlo Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Francis E. Gentoral as vice chair. The rest of the panel were ISA Trustee Emmanuel T. Bautista; ISA Fellow Hon. Mel Senen S. Sarmiento; and GMA Kapuso Foundation Executive Vice President and CEO Rikki Escudero-Catibog.

In his presentation, the Secretary emphasized the breakthroughs and accomplishments of the DSWD in program implementation.  He added that through the PGS, the vision of the Department is clearly laid out in the DSWD Strategy 2028, which provides the employees with the direction for quality work performance to give poor Filipinos access to social protection programs that are responsive to their needs.

Secretary Bautista stressed that despite the setbacks due to the pandemic, the Department successfully delivered quality public service.  Under the banner of “puso at galing sa serbisyo, serbisyong galing sa puso”, the DSWD employees soldiered on towards serving the public despite the health crisis.

The Secretary responded to the queries of the panel with reference to the barrage of criticisms and complaints received by the Department, particularly on the implementation of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP).  He said that despite these and the health risk posed by the pandemic, the Department was able to handle the implementation exceptionally well. Furthermore, the DSWD turned the criticisms into lessons for improvement, and facilitated the grievances to the right channels for immediate action.

Unstoppable transformation even with the pandemic

The Secretary said that the PGS enabled the Department to make adjustments in its targets and strategies to meet the demands of the new normal brought about by the pandemic.

The DSWD drafted the SULONG Recovery Plan which encapsulates the adjustments. The Plan has six strategic priorities such as the services for the recovery of sectors from the socio-economic impact of the pandemic; capacity building for LSWDOs for the devolution; improved organizational processes, and services to guarantee the safety and welfare of the DSWD employees.

In recognition of the strategic adjustments, the DSWD was invited as a presenter for ISA’s skills laboratory training to share the Department’s conduct of strategy review in the new normal, which featured the recalibrated strategy and SULONG Recovery Plan.

All systems go for institutionalization stage

Following the Silver Trailblazer Award, the Secretary announced that the Department is making headway into the institutionalization of the Department’s Strategy journey.  To oversee the institutionalization, the Department has created the Office for Strategy Management (OSM) as an integral part of the organization.

With the guidance of the OSM, the DSWD commits to remain on track with the sustainability of the strategies set to meet strategic targets.  This is with the end vision that by 2028 the DSWD will have reached 4 million self-sufficient households of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program,  all its Center and Residential Care Facilities are centers of excellence, and all Local Social Welfare and Development Offices are fully functional.

Lastly, Secretary Bautista said that the PGS journey not only facilitated the fruition of efforts in programs and services.  Most importantly, the journey has helped inculcate the principles of good governance through puso at galing sa serbisyo, serbisyong galing sa puso” in every DSWD employee, also known as “angels in red vest.” ###