Private sector groups to help government monitor DepEd, PNP, four other agencies

BY LOUELLA A. DESIDERIO, REPORTER, BUSINESSWORLD

THE PRIVATE SECTOR will be monitoring the accomplishments of targets set by six government agencies under a program administered by the non-profit group Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA).

ISA Executive Director Christopher P. Zaens said the private sector shall be part of the multi-sectoral governance council that will be checking the performance of the agencies against their targets through the performance governance system (PGS) scorecards.

“The private sector will be part of the meetings with the government agencies and the ISA in the discussion of the performance of the agencies and how it can be improved,” he said in an interview.

The six government agencies include the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Health (DoH), Department of Transportation and Communication (DoTC), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The scorecards will include a set of targets and will be used to monitor the progress of the agencies from 2010 until 2030.

For the DepEd for instance, the program will include how to increase the participation rate in schools, as well as the achievements scores of students in examinations.

For the DoTC, the objectives include creating conducive environment for public-private partnerships.

The target is to increase transport projects implemented through these partnerships, while expanding revenue generation to support transport infrastructure investments, and having seamless, safe, world-class and environmentally sustainable transportation systems, among others.

For the DPWH’s program, the objectives include increasing the mobility and connectivity of people through quality infrastructure.

For the BIR, the objectives include improving taxpayer satisfaction and compliance, attaining collection targets, and sustaining collection growth among others.

For the PNP, the objectives include better utilization of financial and logistical resources to support administrative and operational programs through more efficient planning and budgeting.

Other targets for the PNP include achieving excellence in performing its operations with the reduction of crime rate, and increasing crime solution efficiency.

Speaking at the launch of the government agencies’ scorecards yesterday, Makati Business Club Executive Director Alberto A. Lim said that it is in the interest of the business sector to be part of the program.

“We are ready to join the multi-sector governance coalition,” Mr. Lim said. “We believe that even if we are lucky enough to have credible election and lucky enough to have good president and even if it manages to set good example or manages to change the system, you will still need private sector to keep this thing going,” he added.

For his part, National Competitiveness Council co-chair Cesar B. Bautista said in the same event that the role of the private sector will be important in ensuring that the programs and reforms made by the government agencies are pursued even with a change of administration.

“Even if we have a new government, these people will still be there to tell the new administration that these programs are what we want because these will improve our competitiveness,” he said.

The efforts of the government agencies to pursue good governance, he said will be taken into consideration in the approval of a multimillion compact grant proposal to the Millennium Challenge Corp.

Mr. Zaens said that the programs or measures to be implemented by the agencies under the PGS are being led by career officials in the government agencies so that the programs may continue even with the change in administration.

PGS involves developing a strategy and translating it into measurable targets, and identifying people and resources needed.

PGS also involves putting in place mechanisms for reporting performance against targets, and achieving “institutionalized status” which is granted after an ISA audit for at least two consecutive years of implementation shows enough breakthroughs.