training the trainers

The LINC-EG Project continued its involvement in the streamlining the business and permitting and licensing (BPLS) program of the Departments of Trade and Industry (DTI) and of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) by providing technical and material support to the training of trainers (TOT) Workshop for DILG and DTI personnel in Mindanao held in Cagayan de Oro City last August 16 to 18, 2010.

The program seeks to reduce the cost and shorten the processing time of getting local business permits and licenses to encourage more investment in local communities nationwide.

The 38 DTI and DILG personnel trained during the 3-day TOT workshop will guide the personnel of local government units (LGUs) in Northern Mindanao establish streamlined business permitting and licensing systems (BPLS) in the participating LGUs.

The BPLS they are to help establish will use one single unified form for new applications and renewals; reduce the number of signatures and steps to 5; and limit the processing time to a maximum of 10 days from the date of the submission of the application form for new applications and 5 days for renewal as required under the provisions of the Anti-Red Tape Law of 2007.

The workshop included discussions of the process of establishing the reformed BPLSs as well as simulations of the coaching sessions to be conducted by the DTI and DILG personnel for their LGU counterparts.

LINC-EG provided for the resource persons who conducted the training, the training venue, and the accommodations for the participants, resource persons and support staff.

A second TOT in Mindanao, this time for DTI and DILG personnel in Southern Mindanao, will be held 7-9 September in Davao City. LINC-EG will again support this initiative.

- From the LINC-EG Highlights for the Month, August 2010

a mantangale birthday

Mantangale Alibuag Dive Resort

Balingoan, Misamis Oriental
August 21-22 2010

the people at work

I love the rush you get in firing people. But that would make for another story. Because I like hiring people too, when the slate is still freshly white clean and anything is possible and they can still have the chance to impress me.

Scouring all the materials available on how to better manage the people, I found this printed on a piece of paper, folded three times. I cannot remember exactly how I got this, but it may be one of those inspired and guided moments –

How to Properly Place New Employees
(or re-assign old ones needing that extra umph)

1. Put 400 bricks in a closed room.
2. Put your employees in the room and close the door.
3. Leave them alone and come back after four hours (you must or else lunch will be due).
4. Then analyze the situation:
1. If they are counting the bricks, put them in Accounting.
2. If they are recounting the bricks, put them in Auditing.
3. If they have messed the whole place with the bricks, put them in Engineering.
4. If they are arranging the bricks in some strange order, put them in Planning.
5. If they are throwing bricks at each other, put them in Operations.
6. If they are sleeping, put them in Security.
7. If they have broken the bricks into pieces, put them in IT.
8. If they are sitting idle, put them in Human Resources.
9. If they say they have tried different combinations, and they are looking for more, put them in Sales.
10. If they have already left for the day, put them in Marketing.
11. If they are staring out of the window, put them in Strategic Planning.
12. If they are talking to each other, and not a single brick has been moved, put them in Management Group.
13. Finally, if they have surrounded themselves with bricks in such a way that they an neither be seen nor heard from, (they should not be in your company), for they belong in Government.

Hire away!

butuan city and its potentials

In one voice, the government and business leaders of this northeastern city of the Agusan Valley of Mindanao expressed their vision for a more competitive Butuan.

In a meeting with the representatives from USAID Philippines and the policy-reform project LINC-EG or Local Implementation of National Competitiveness for Economic Growth, Butuan City Mayor Ferdinand M. Amante Jr. and Agusan del Norte Governor Erlpe John Amante presented the plans for reforms of the local government that the newly-inaugurated officials will pursue to make Butuan City a business-friendly environment for investors.

In a separate meeting, DTI Caraga Regional Director Brielgo Pagaran enumerated mining, wood and agri-aquaculture as the winning products of the area. He says that with a renewed strength, Butuan City can draw on its attractive industries as it pushes through with its agenda of becoming one of Mindanao’s progressive cities.

The same optimism was shared by Butuan City Chamber of Commerce President Engineer Alan Silor. Expressing his high hopes for better management of the local government, he confirmed the private sector’s willingness to partner with the government to improve basic services that will encourage more economic activity in the city.

In agreement, the leaders named some of the crucial features to make their city competitive – streamlined government processes, proper implementation of priorities, and transparent and accountable leadership.

They expressed to John Avila, representative of USAID Philippines, their continuing interest and commitment to the various projects of the USAID in the city.

LINC-EG organized the meetings last July with the Butuan City leaders to explore the possibilities of partnership in their various projects. Chief of Party Alid Camara, whose mandate is to bring the policy-reform project to the main cities in Mindanao, is confident that with the right attitude and effective implementation of reforms, Butuan City will soon realize its competitiveness potential.