By Chito Chavez The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is now ISO 9001:2015 certified and has also received a Bronze Award from the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for its efforts on human resources. “The ISO certification and the CSC award are the perfect Christmas rewards for the DILG Central Office (CO) which have worked so hard to gain these recognitions.  We remain committed to continuously raise the bar of quality services and to promote people excellence,” said DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año. DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez / MANILA BULLETIN) Año said DILG CO got the ISO 9001:2015 nod after its Quality Management System (QMS) passed the stage 2 audit carried out by third-party auditors AJA Registrars held recently at the DILG Napolcom Building in Quezon City. The DILG-CO was recommended for new certification after the conduct of stage 2 audit last November 13-14, 2018 covering 80 QMS enrolled processes composed of 19 core processes, 43 support processes, three management processes, 11 performance evaluation processes, three improvement processes, and one control of nonconforming output process. Año noted the DILG CO’s enrolled QMS processes and procedures were documented, implemented and successfully passed the new standard and is now awaiting receipt of its ISO 9001:2015 registration certification with validity of until 2021. A simple ISO Certification Awarding ceremony will be held once the new registration certificates are ready. Special Quality Awards for QMS accomplishments will be given to deserving individuals and offices to recognize their efforts in the implementation of QMS at the DILG Central Office. DILG Assistant Secretary Ester A. Aldana, the DILG-CO’s Deputy Quality Management Representative (QMR) added the top management’s commitment to quality policy paved the way for the DILG CO’s effective preparation for the actual third-party certification audit. She noted there are also ongoing efforts for individual ISO certification in all the Regional Offices of the DILG to ensure quality processes and programs within the agency. The DILG CO established its Quality Management System (QMS) in 2015 and received its first ISO 9001:2018 certification in August 2016. The initiative was in compliance with EO 605 directing all government offices to implement QMS to l institutionalize structures, mechanism, and standards in government to ensure quality in systems and processes in government operations. The establishment, implementation, and certification of QMS is also a condition set for the Support to Operations by the Interagency Task Force on the Harmonization of National Government Performance Monitoring Information and Reporting Systems, for an agency to be eligible for the Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) of government. Bronze awardee The DILG Central Office also received recently a Certificate of Recognition and a Bronze Award for human resource excellence from the Civil Service Commission (CSC) for its efforts to promote human resource or people excellence in its agency. Año said the DILG CO obtained the CSC Enhanced Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management (PRIME-HRM) Maturity Level 2 or the Bronze Award. “Thank you to CSC for recognizing the DILG through its PRIME-HRM program. We are now a Bronze Awardee working for efficient and effective public service delivery,” he added. PRIME-HRM is a mechanism that empowers government agencies by developing and assessing their HR management competencies, systems, and practices towards HR excellence. The DILG Central Office was recognized in the four pillars of HR, namely, Recruitment, Selection, and Placement; Learning and Development; Performance Management: Rewards and Recognition. It also passed the CSC checklist for Level 2 criteria aside from notable points like availability of recruitment plan, staffing plan, the functionality of committees like Grievance and Merit, among others. The DILG CO and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) are the only two national agencies awarded with Bronze Award category in the entire Philippine bureaucracy. Based on CSC guidelines, PRIME-HRM Maturity level assessment includes competency level or the capabilities of the HRM Office using proficiency indicators, while the systems level involves evaluation of policies, processes, procedures, and tools used by the HRM. Further on practices level, the agency is assessed on the actual implementation of its HR systems.