Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan underscored in her message the essence of being an ISO certified office.

“We have to ensure that the services of the Department are really implemented not just merely by putting all the documents in order," she said as she reminded the key officials to always be guided by the processes and procedures in implementing the programs of the DENR.

 

According to Director Bambalan, the adoption of the quality management system (QMS) principle of ‘plan, do, check, act’ is an essential factor yet simple procedure to apply in the organization as every individual really needs to plan in everything he or she does.

 

“It is presumed by the public that we perform the highest standards of quality service. We have to act on documents timely, exercise due diligence, have completed staff work as part of the QMS,” RED Bambalan added emphasizing that ISO certification implies a functional system of quality management.

 

QMS Core Team Leader and Assistant Regional Director for Management Services Lilia Abel underscored the continuity and improvement of quality management system in three DENR certified ISO 9001:2015 accredited offices, namely: Regional Office, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office-Isabela and Community Environment and Natural Resources Office- San Isidro.

 

The said accreditation was acquired on March 28, 2019 from Anglo Japanese American (AJA) international independent certification body. It is renewable every three years upon passing the re-assessment conducted by a third party.

 

“Every employee should perform his or her best in order to fit in to the organizational standards that we have. We have to excellently deliver our goods and services prescribed by the ISO accreditation,” ARD Abel said.

 

Atty. Maria Esperanza O. Consigna-Bañares, QMS consultant, discussed the different principles and requirements in the implementation of the QMS. She stressed the need to identify the internal and external issues for the context of the organization; and its relevant interested stakeholders as fundamental factors in providing excellent products and services to customers.

 

“You have to come up strategic direction to fulfill the goal of your Department. This is important in assessing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the identified issues that need immediate action to address them,” Atty. Bañares said.

 

In the four-day learning session, the participants composed of key officials from the regional and field offices, came up with an action plan for all the identified issues, risks, opportunities and threats besetting the implementation of environmental programs and services needed by the transacting public in their respective offices.

 

They also learned the different procedures in preparing audit plans and programs for future internal regular audit as part of improving the delivery of services to the public.#