Bataan passes ISA’s PGS proficiency stage

PICC, Manila – The provincial government of Bataan has successfully attained the proficiency status of the Performance Governance System (PGS) and received a Silver Trailblazer Award during the Public Governance Forum organized by the Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA) at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) yesterday.

The PGS enables public offices, professional associations, and academic institutions to articulate long-term development goals, organization- and community-wide accountabilities, and transparency through sustainable governance mechanisms. It has four stages: initiation, compliance, proficiency, and institutionalization. Bataan has already passed the first three stages.

PGS also serves as the provincial government’s management tool to attain its vision that by 2020 Bataan Province will be the preferred location for eco-industrial investments leading to the highest human development index in the Philippines.

Before conferring the PGS stage to the institution, candidate agencies were validated through specific targets in a Governance Scorecard. PGS revalida candidates are rated on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest and 7.5 as the passing score.

To further hasten reforms and development in the country, ISA led by its founder Jesus Estanislao formed the Island of Good Governance (IGG) 2015 in which public offices commit to achieve at least 50 breakthrough goals that will create impact in the community.

At present, the following government agencies pledged to IGG are the Armed Forces of the Philippines; Bureau of Internal Revenue; departments of Education, Health, Public Works and Highways, Social Welfare and Development, as well as DTI; Governance Commission for Government Owned or Controlled Companies; National Electrification Administration; Philippine Heart Center; Philippine National Police; Philippine Navy; PA; and CSC.

On the other hand, other LGUs committed to IGG include the Bataan province, City of Balanga, Dipolog City, Talisay City of Negros Occidental, San Fernado City of La Union, San Fernando City of Pampanga, Masbate City, Butuan City, Legazpi City, Mandaue City and the Municipality of Dinalupihan.