SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) recently was given recognition by the Government Quality Management Committee (GQMC) for attaining ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems Certification which led to achieving successful years for the agency.
The GQMC annually recognized government agencies, including government-owned and controlled corporations, state universities and colleges, and local government units whose quality management systems (QMS) have attained ISO 9001 Certification from January 2012 to October 2016.
In a communication sent to SBMA, GQMC chairman and Budget Sec. Benjamin Diokno stated that the conferment was in recognition of the established QMS of SBMA in conformity with the ISO 9001 Standards.
ISO 9001:2008 Certificate is awarded by International Standard Organization (ISO) certified Registrars to an organization which meets specified quality system requirements to be able to consistently provide conforming products, either material or services to meet customer’s expectations.
In the Philippines, ISO certification and quality management in government institutions was required through Executive Order 605 and Administrative Order 161, respectively, signed by then president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
SBMA obtained the ISO Certificate since January 2013 and was re-certified on June this year, according to SBMA OIC-Total Quality Management (TQM) Office John Aquino, who received the certificate in a ceremony held at LBP Auditorium in Manila.
The First Surveillance Audit was conducted by AJA Registrars Inc. which resulted in the “zero major non-conformity, zero minor non-conformity and nine observations”. This, according to Aquino, was considered a legacy in the history of government offices.
“This is the fruit of an all-Agency effort and utmost commitment to QMS and good governance by the dedicated men and women of the SBMA headed by Chairman Martin Diño,” Aquino said.
Aquino said that SBMA started working to meet with the requirement based on standards specified on ISO 9001:2008 since October 2012 with AJA Registrars.
All departments of SBMA had conformed to the ISO 9001 resulting to the issuance of ISO 9001:2008 Certification last April 2013, he said.
These offices include the Internal Services Group with 10 offices/departments; Maritime, Business and Investment Group with seven offices/departments; Regulatory Group with six offices/departments, and Chairman and Administrator-CEO Group which composed of six offices and departments.
The GQMC is being co-chaired by Trade Sec. Ramon Lopez with members DILG Sec. Ismael Serena and Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) Pres. Antonio Kalaw.