THE SCHOOLS Division Office of Balanga City got the distinction of being the first division to receive the Philippine Quality Award for exemplary commitment in attaining quality management.

The PQA program of the Department of Trade and Industry is a global competitiveness template that aims to encourage and engage public and private organizations and other stakeholders to strive for and attain performance excellence.

“We are celebrating a momentous occasion, the conferment of the Philippine Quality Award to SDO Balanga City. This conferment validates our existing quality policies in schools and field offices and the competitive edge through improved performance results,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said.

“I congratulate the division for their utmost efforts in providing quality education to learners while going beyond ordinary public service productivity,” Briones added.

Being a recipient of meritorious achievements such as the ISO 9001:2005 certification and the Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management Level II accreditation, SDO Balanga elevated its quality management practices, leading to its recognition in the virtual 24th Assessment Cycle of the PQA.

Balanga Schools Division Superintendent Ronnie Mallari said that their initiatives led to better public service.

“This endeavor has led the SDO to realize that public service productivity can mandate doing less while yielding more results. It also contributes to quality outputs, innovation, and empowerment of people, the bedrock of self-pride of the employees,” Mallari said.

Meanwhile, Balanga Assistant SDS Ilyne Samonte said that the award was made possible with the help of local government units, private citizens and non-government organizations.

Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez expressed hope and gratitude to organizations that have fostered global competitiveness.

“With the strong support that the PQA is receiving from all of you, I am positive that our countrymen will be inspired to strive for global competitiveness and help us shape the innovative Philippines, and create the desired association of attributes such as high quality,” Lopez said.