Executives and key decision-makers from different companies, institutions, and government agencies in Region 3 assessed their organization’s level of global competitiveness based on the Malcolm Baldridge Framework of United States during the first Philippine Quality Award (PQA) Engagement Session with CEOs at the Subic Bay Travelers Hotel in Zambales on March 5, 2020.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through the efforts of its Competitiveness Bureau (CB) and DTI-Region 3, conducted a special event to provide organizations in the region with an understanding of the PQA Framework and how it can be integrated with their efforts toward achieving performance excellence.

DTI-CB Director Lilian Salonga, who spearheaded the event, explained to the participants from eleven (11) private companies and eight (8) government agencies that the PQA serves as a template of organizations for global competitiveness and innovations.

“PQA is not simply an award program given by the Government. It is the highest level of national recognition for exemplary organizational performance in the country patterned after the highly prestigious Baldrige Performance Excellence Program. Through PQA, we are positive that companies and institutions in the Philippines will continue to reinforce culture of competence and quality in their workplace,” Director Salonga said.

DTI-Region 3 Assistant Director Zorina D. Aldana also encouraged the participants to use this program as an opportunity to learn more techniques and strategies in organizational management through an internationally comparable framework.

Mr. Phillip Jason Roque, Officer-in-Charge of the National Quality and Competitiveness Division (NQCD), further stimulated the attendees’ drive for competitiveness by discussing the PQA Criteria and facilitating a workshop using a PQA Self-Assessment Toolkit. It is the first time during an orientation program that participants were given a time to evaluate their organizations in terms of global competitiveness through the PQA core values and concepts as well as the PQA Criteria for Performance Excellence.

PQA is the only Presidential award institutionalized through Republic Act no. 9013 or the PQA Act. Organizations, either from private or public sector, who are interested to be assessed for this internationally-acknowledged recognition may submit their Eligibility Information Form (EIF) until March 31, 2020.