In its bid to intensify the promotion of the PQA nationwide, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) pushed for the advancement of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in quality management as it recognized the pioneer recipient organizations of the Philippine Quality Award (PQA) Regionalization Program last March 23, 2022.

 

As part of the PQA 24th Conferment Ceremony, DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez honored recipients of the PQA Regionalization Program Pilot Run which includes Rainiers Research and Development Institute (NCR), Cebu Institute of Technology-University (Region 7), and Cebu Technological University (Region 7) for Level 1 or Recognition for Commitment to Quality Management; and, Construction Manpower Development Foundation (NCR) for Level 2 or Recognition for Proficiency in Quality Management.

 

The recognitions were officially conferred by Undersecretary Blesila Lantayona of DTI-Regional Operations Group who highlighted the advancement of SMEs and private and public institutions in the regions can help in building a community of quality organizations that would allow us to be at par with international standards.

 

The Regionalization Program is designed to provide better opportunities to deserving organizations from the regions to receive Levels 1 and 2 Recognitions and encourage them to aspire for and attain higher levels of organizational performance in the future.

“We believe that there are gems in every region and they are only waiting to be polished. Thus, we are bringing excellence closer to you with the PQA Regionalization Program. The PQA Framework and Criteria shall serve as tools that will create friction to help in refining organizations to become their best,” Usec. Lantayona said.

Director Lilian Salonga of the DTI-Competitiveness Bureau, shared that the program is a product of the study conducted two years ago to improve its assessment process and to make the program more enticing for both public and private institutions. Through a modified scheme, deserving organizations may be bestowed with region-level recognitions in only four steps.

“The PQA assessment cycle has a rigorous process that usually takes one year to complete but we are hopeful that once the Regionalization Program is officially launched to the public, more organizations can appreciate and easily adapt the PQA Framework,” Director Salonga added.

The PQA Program, patterned to the very prestigious Baldrige Performance Excellence Program in the U.S., is a national award program that recognizes achievements of public and private sector organizations in their journey towards performance excellence. It has four award and recognition levels with Level 4 as Philippine Quality Award for Performance Excellence and Level 3 as Recognition for Mastery in Quality Management.