John Francis Ducusin, Sharmaine Joyce Morillo, News, Graduate School - Master in Communication
Effective capacity-building initiatives which contribute to our nation’s resilient development are needed now more than ever, especially considering the pandemic’s debilitating effects. Speaking last August 4, on a webinar conducted by the Master in Communication (MC) students, former Vice President Leni Robredo and Atty. Karlo Nograles shared insights on effective capacity building initiatives and communication management.
With the theme: “Communication Management Today: Theories and Best Practices for Effective Capacity Building and Management Policy Formulation,” the speakers were able to underscore how capacity building efforts and policies should meet the actual needs and priorities of a developing country like the Philippines.
On government sector and agencies’ capacity building initiatives
In his special message, Atty. Karlo Nograles, the Chairperson of the Civil Service Commission, highlighted the importance of capacitating employees from all organizations so that they can perform their jobs more efficiently, effectively, and sustainably. According to him, employees must learn new skills and improve on what they already do because qualified and competent employees are essential for any organization to achieve its targets and goals. The Chairperson also noted CSC’s efforts to become a model agency in human resource and organizational development.
“We are continuing to professionalize our 1.7 million government employees and ensuring that they remain enthusiastic, committed, and responsive to the needs of changing times while promoting an economical, efficient, and effective personnel administration in [the] government”, he said.
Balanced Expertise, Contextualizing Learning, Institutional Development, Assessing Impacts, and Diversifying the Workforce are also challenges that must be overcome to achieve such efficacy, according to Atty. Nograles. He added that the CSC implements the Competency-Based Learning and Development Program (L&D), which directly addresses the issue of competency gaps. The program follows the competency-based Learning and Development (L&D) Framework, which is defined as “an approach that uses competencies as the standards against which employee development needs are assessed and then priorities are set against the needs of specific organizations.”
One of the innovations that CSC adapted is the shift of its courses and trainings from traditional learning to online and blended-type of learnings to continue its service despite the pandemic and to reach more people in need in the fast-paced world. Atty. Nograles concluded his message by encouraging participants to always be eager to learn, to engage in healthy discussions for capacity-building, and to continue to be eager to expand their knowledge and skills through platforms such as this webinar.
On non-governmental organizations’ capacity building
Focusing on the expanding role of the NGOs in the social, community, and international development, Atty. Leni Robredo led an experiential discussion on what NGOs really are and their role in the society. She shared her firsthand knowledge as a long-time NGO worker years before entering politics, such as being a member of the Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panligal (SALIGAN), an NGO that advocates for alternative lawyering.
To her, NGOs must aim to capacitate the basic sectors including the farmers, fisher folks, urban poor, indigenous people, women, and children, among others, with knowledge on the fundamentals of law and legal resources for the protection of their rights.
Working for an NGO, according to Atty. Robredo, is difficult, especially when resources are scarce. Nonetheless, she stated that NGOs play an important role in the community because governance is only effective if it allows civil society to participate because the latter connects the former to the constituencies that need to be served. They supplement the role of the national government by either improving or assisting in ongoing projects and activities, or by filling gaps, particularly in providing all essential public services to communities. NGOs also act as fiscalizers for social justice and good governance by challenging questionable programs and policies and calling out political leaders who may abuse their positions.
Meanwhile, she emphasized that equally assessing the effectiveness of NGOs is critical because the reasons for their existence vary. There are non-governmental organizations (NGOs) present to promote their respective causes, while others exist to fill gaps in government work, which is the primary goal of the Angat Buhay Foundation.
The webinar, under the supervision of Dr. Edna Tormon-Bernabe, aimed to educate participants from various schools, universities, and sectors on the role of both the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in improving human welfare and society through various social, community, and sustainable development efforts.
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