Region 6 holds Productivity Olympics
The National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in coordination with all its Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) on Friday simultaneously held kick off event and special launching of 2009 Productivity Olympics and Service Quality for key employment generators (KEGs) at Westown Hotel in Iloilo City. The Productivity Olympics is a national competition of best productivity improvement programs focused on people development and business excellence of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) nationwide.
This is to intensify national awareness and commitment to quality and productivity, likewise to showcase best productivity improvement practices.
Now on its second year, the Productivity Olympics’ theme highlighted on the competitiveness in agribusiness, service and industry sectors, principally the MSMEs, to align themselves in the competitive global market.
Ciriaco A. Lagunzad III, executive director IV of NWPC, said their priority will be the small size and medium restaurants.
On the other hand, DOLE undersec retary Lourdes M. Trasmonte cleared that the competition is open to those who are qualified and no registration fee is required.
All MSMEs can join the competition provided they are duly registered with the appropriate government agencies, and must have a productivity program existing for at least 2 years. Participants must also never been a recipient of the productivity Olympics Award at national level.
“In 2008, there have been nominees from Region 6 but didn’t reach the final,” said Trasmonte, adding that she hoped this year’s competition would have a winner from Region 6.
This year’s Productivity Olympics will run until August this year and will cap with its awarding in October in line with the Quality and Productivity Month, Trasmonte added.
Concurrent to the kick off of Productivity Olympics, the Service Quality in KEGS was also launched “to be able for businesses to survive” and “to respond to global crises”, according to Trasmonte.
The Service Quality program will be a two-day training intervention program for the hotel and restaurant industry workers on “soft skills” which aims to enhance workforce knowledge and skills to deliver “error-free” service.
NWPC considered the hotel and restaurant industry as one of the drivers of growth and key employment generators and needed to have competitive and good quality workforce.
While hotels and restaurants are key players in the economy, the sector is coming short with good employees.
“There is an oversupply of graduates but we have shortage of qualified workers,” said Trasmonte, adding that competency gaps and workers going abroad negatively affect the productivity of the sector.
David L. Diwa, NWPC RTWPB 6 Commissioner, said the Service Quality program “will be a good shot to workers in Region 6” since it will enable employees to participate in policy making and have their security in tenure.
DOLE had also extended their support to the program which will enhance the employability of workers.
Other officials present in the event were Regional Director Western Visayas Tourism Center, Edwin G. Trompeta, RTWPB Chairman and DOLE Regional Director, Aida M. Estabillo, and RTWPB representatives from regions 5, 7 and 8.