An ‘initiation’ work program

MANILA, Philippines – The commitment to enter into the Performance Governance System (PGS) pathway for good governance, coming from the very top, necessarily is broad-brush. At such a high level, the decision can only be generic, remaining at a mainly abstract level. That decision – with the commitment behind it – needs to be brought down to a more specific, concrete level.

This is where an actual “meeting of the minds” session comes in. It is critical to taking the next practical step, moving forward, i.e., that of agreeing on an “initiation” work program.

This session provides a few key officers from any Local Government Unit (LGU) or the National Government Agency (NGA) an opportunity to engage in a substantive question-and-answer exchange with some selected officers from the Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA) on the requirements and demands of the PGS program. Typically, the key officers involved are few, not more than three to five, and these include those charged with over-all administrative supervision of an LGU or an NGA, and those with functions related to plans and programs. These officers would address their questions to several issues of direct concern to them about the PGS program. Those issues revolve around the following:

* What does the program entail? As the local adaptation of the Balanced Scorecard, the PGS focuses on strategy, its formulation and execution. The focus on strategy makes the PGS a governance program, which demands that a system be installed, with a view towards delivering breakthrough results.

* What does the system in the PGS require? It demands participation and commitment on the part of everyone in an LGU or NGA, including its important stakeholders, who are expected to contribute substantively to the success in delivering high-level performance, and therefore breakthrough results. The basic demand of the PGS is alignment: Everyone pushes the cart in the same direction and is expected to add value in the pursuit of a commonly agreed strategy.

* What breakthrough results does the PGS deliver? Since the PGS strikes a proper balance between financial and non-financial issues, it aims at high levels of achievement in all facets and levels of operations of the LGU or NGA. Financial results are given their due importance; but non-financial results are heavily emphasized as critical and essential to the achievement of financial results. The PGS demands a cultural transformation for the sustainability of the results achieved.

* What steps need to be taken to go through the PGS and how much time would it take to complete the PGS pathway? As the local adaptation of the Balanced Scorecard, the PGS has divided the entire process of going through the pathway into only four phases or stages: a) initiation; compliance; proficiency; and institutionalization. Each phase has its own specific requirements. The amount of time spent to actually complete each phase would depend upon the LGU or NGA concerned. Thos most committed can complete the entire process – of four phases – in two or three years, depending on the time and resources they decide to focus and invest on the PGS.

* How much does it cost to enrol in the PGS and go through its four phases? The expense any LGU or NGA decides to invest in the PGS would have to be decided by the LGU or NGA concerned. Asking for technical and professional assistance from ISA would require it to pay for the staff time and professional expertise of ISA Fellows and Associates. Being an advocacy, ISA charges reasonable rates for professional guidance and related services, and in some instances arranges for subsidy from donors and ISA’s institutional partners.

At this session, ISA staff officers would need to be informed of the various reform programs and initiatives that the LGU or NGA is currently undertaking. It has been their experience to be informed that virtually all LGUs and NGAs are currently pursuing several reform programs. In every instance, however, they can show that those reform programs can be continued and should be further pursued as part of the broader process of adopting the PGS.

After all relevant questions have been asked – and answered – the “meeting of the minds” session ends with an agreement on the next concrete step to be taken, which is that of forming a technical working group in the interested LGU or NGA. This group shall lay out the time line and the work program for completing the initiation phase of the PGS. –DR. JESUS P. ESTANISLAO, Manila Bulletin