BACOLOD CITY, October 30, 2018 – A total of 470 Planning Officers, Senior Education Program Specialists for Planning and Research, and other officials from the various regions and schools divisions of the Department of Education (DepEd) pledged to continuously and actively take part in strategizing, researching, and harmonizing programs and policies towards the delivery of quality, accessible, relevant, and liberating basic education.

They expressed this commitment after participating in the DepEd National Planning Conference (NPC) 2018 held from October 17 to 19 at the L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

“I think that truly, next to our teachers, our planning personnel and officers make the crucial part of the backbone of the Department of Education,” Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Nepomuceno Malaluan, who spoke on behalf of Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones, mentioned. Malaluan also shared the two-year journey of the Briones administration, as well as the strategic issues on access and quality, and the public’s feedback on DepEd’s performance. He also discussed the Sustainable Development Goals and Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022.

Themed “Achieving Basic Education Goals through Harmonized Policies and Programs, and Results-Based Participatory Planning,” the third NPC oriented the participants on the upcoming polices and systems in the Department, and deepened their understanding of results-based planning, management, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E).

Members of the DepEd Executive Committee delivered updates on their respective fields including Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla, who tackled the education budget performance and delivery challenges; Undersecretary Alain Del Pascua, who discussed the future of digital education, and presented the five-year master plan of his office dubbed as Saligan 2022+; Undersecretary Lorna Dig-Dino who delivered policy updates on curriculum and instruction; Undersecretary Josephine Maribojoc who presented the Department’s Legal Affairs; and Assistant Secretary Ramon Fiel Abcede who gave updates on procurement policy and implementation.

Undersecretary for Planning and Field Operations Jesus Mateo, who discussed the proposed merit-based promotion and other human resource updates, underscored the importance of developing the human capital, and aligning all reforms, activities, projects, and programs for both the internal and external stakeholders: “If we all consider these as planning officers, I think we can speed up the achievement of Ambisyon 2040.”

Other resource speakers in the three-day conference included Ms. Gerelyn Balneg from the Basic Education Sector Transformation (BEST) – Australia who discussed risk assessment and management; Prof. Ronald Roldan from University of the Philippines – Los Baños who discussed data mining; Mr. Jesse David from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) who discussed results-based planning and M&E; and Ms. Cherilyn Valdez from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) who discussed quality management on data collection process.

Meanwhile, Planning Service Director Roger Masapol mapped their ways forward, and highlighted the impact of the participatory process of policymaking, which he described as “a shared responsibility where each level has a role.”

Regions and schools divisions were likewise recognized for their exemplary performance in the Learners’ Information System (LIS), Enhanced Basic Education Information System (EBEIS), Enrollment Quick Counts, Program Management Information System (PMIS), filling up of newly created positions, FY 2019 plan and budget presentation, and research management practice during the awarding program on October 18.

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