Review of accomplishments against targets, celebration of successes, and identification of next steps were the objectives of the recently conducted Year-End Assessment and Planning workshop hosted by the Regulatory Division of the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera (DA-CAR). This was held in San Juan, La Union on December 12-15, 2022.
Focusing on the review of the physical and financial targets of the Division, the different sections including the Quality Control and Inspection Section, the Plant and Animal Disease Monitoring and Surveillance Section, and the Registration and Licensing Section presented their annual accomplishments and FY 2023 target activities.
Additionally, presenters shared the issues and concerns of their respective sections, made recommendations on each issue and then identified those responsible.
Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulations, Atty. Jennilyn Dawayan reiterated that in their office, staff should learn from the doctrine of completed staff work. “It is your duty as a staff to work out the details of the issue. You should not consult your chief to determine these details, no matter how perplexed they may be. You should study the problem and present a solution to the chief for approval or disapproval,” she said.
This would empower them to give their best thinking, their best recommendations and ultimately their best work.
Likewise, to strengthen work performance and to keep employees productive and healthy, Tetchie Belle Bagnos of the DA-CAR Human Resources Management and Development Section and Ricky Ducas of the Baguio City Health Services Office shared their knowledge on the topics Completed Staff Work: Habit of Excellence in Public Service and Nurturing Mental Health, Resilience and Suicide Prevention, respectively.
Bagnos expounded topics on the world of staff work; surviving the work environment; the doctrine of Completed Staff Work (CSW); the steps or process of CSW; and, illustrating CSW in public service. “In order for us to survive our workplace, we should not get ambushed, we should be prepared for sudden tasking, we shouldn’t be intimidated, we should carry survival tools, we should ask smart questions or take initiatives, and we should not be afraid of failures because that is part of growing, we grow when we face challenges,” she underscored.
Meanwhile, Ducas during his talk emphasized the importance of self-care. “Self-care is all about doing what makes you happy. It’s not about luxury and money. You should always take your daily DOSE, Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Endorphin,” he stressed. These are famously happy hormones that promote positive feelings like pleasure, happiness, and even love.
To conclude, he encouraged the staff not to suppress their emotions but rather to vet them out, to share their emotions and experiences with others because sharing is the start of healing, and lastly to seek professional help.
The activity also served as a platform for identifying and determining how to address the gap in the current and desired status of the program in order to achieve its goals. By LDMendoza
