DOST f(x) Slides

Office of the Undersecretary for Special Concerns.

[Audio] Pursuant to Executive Order No. 128, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is mandated to provide central direction, leadership, and coordination of scientific and technological efforts and ensure that the results therefrom are geared and utilized in areas of maximum economic and social benefits for the people. The DOST has been structured as an oversight body to a number of attached and financially autonomous agencies, as follows: Three (3) Sectoral Planning Councils (PCAARRD, PCIEERD, and PCHRD) Seven (7) Research and Development Institutes (RDIs: ITDI, FNRI, PTRI,, MIRDC, PNRI, ASTI, andFPRDI) – Six (6) S&T Service Institutes (STS: PHIVOLCS, PAGASA, SEI, TAPI, STII, and PSHS) – Two (2) collegial bodies (NAST and NRCP) – Sixteen (16) Regional Offices and 80 Provincial S&T Centers (PSTCs).

[Audio] During the Senate Plenary Budget Deliberation on the DOST's proposed 2024 budget held on 17 November 2023, the Senate pointed out the seemingly overlapping functions of the DOST and other government offices. As the leading enabler and provider of STI-explicit solutions and in the delivery of public service geared towards a more responsive and efficient bureaucracy, proper delineation of functions among the offices in other national government agencies must be ensured. To achieve this, DOST must review the operations of its different agencies to make a critical analysis of the programs/projects being implemented and necessarily review the DOST's workforce complement in the event that the agencies' functions overlap with one another. Such workforce review is imperative as it is highly likely that agencies performing overlapping functions effectively have redundant human resource complements. The Senate initially enumerated specific DOST agencies which seemingly perform similar functions as that of the identified offices in other national government agencies, to wit: 1. DOST's Philippine Council for Health Research and Development and the Department of Health's Health Policy Development and Planning Bureau 2. DOST's Food Nutrition Research Institute and DOH's National Nutrition Council 3. DOST's Philippine Council for Industry Energy and Emerging Technology Development and the Department of Energy's Energy Research and Testing Laboratory Services 4. DOST's Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development and National Fishery Research and Development Institute/ Philippine Council for Agri and Fisheries 5. DOST's Philippine Textile Research Institute and Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority.

[Audio] The proposed project particularly intends to produce a policy recommendation containing the agencies' functional and operational adjustments should there be any identified overlapping of functions, such as but not limited to: Transfering or integrating functions from one agency to another which could better perform the same or where the functions are more aligned based on its mandate; and/or Realigning, upgrading, and/or augmenting the DOST's human resource complement in the pursuit of a more agile, responsive, and strategically aligned workforce in general. On one hand, this effort places greater accountability to the public by the DOST agencies making them more mandate-oriented and expertise-centered government agencies. The endeavor is in line with the efforts to make the bureaucracy more effective, efficient, responsive and progressive. On the other, a thorough workforce review in pursuit of realignment, upgrading, and augmentation at the DOST is not just a necessity for meeting immediate demands but a strategic investment in the nation's future. By examining the experiences of other economies, it is evident that a well-supported and expanded high-quality S&T workforce is a key driver for global competitiveness, economic growth, technological innovation, and national resilience..

[Audio] For the objectives of this project, generally, apart from being able to address, with sufficient foundation, the bigger issue of overlapping functions between DOST agencies and other government offices, the conduct of this comprehensive review of the agencies' current operation, plays a pivotal role in seeing to it that the programs, activities and projects (PAPs) they have implemented, conducted, or undertaken were indeed aligned with their mandates thereby raising the overall institutional productivity of these agencies. Specifically, it is our foremost objective to be able to determine whether among all the DOST agencies, there exists a duplication or confusion in the exercise of their respective government functions, and that if any, address and settle the same in accordance with the agencies' governing laws, rules and regulations, and such other pertinent issuances. Similarly, this effort places greater accountability to the public by the DOST agencies making them more mandate-oriented and expertise-centered government agencies. By doing so, the Department will be better able to extensively and completely look into the functions of other government offices, with a clearer perspective and foundation of the identity of each DOST agency..

[Audio] This is the proposed flowchart for the GIA project.

[Audio] First, A Technical Working Group (TWG) shall be created to carry out the purpose of conducting the comprehensive review of the mandates and functions of the DOST attached agencies vis-a-vis the priority projects they implement, conduct, or undertake, with the end goal of resolving any overlapping or duplication of functions in the DOST and thereby promote a more responsive and efficient government service..

[Audio] There will then be an initial meeting with the Technical Working Group and the Secretariat to set directions of the proposed GIA project..

[Audio] The TWG will primarily review the mandates and functions of the agencies. In case overlapping functions will be identified, the TWG shall also meticulously review and analyze the existing human resource landscape within the DOST for purposes of identifying redundancies and areas of specialization gearing towards a strategic workforce planning.

[Audio] A policy recommendation containing the agencies' operational adjustment shall be crafted should there be any identified overlapping of functions. Throughout the process of this comprehensive review and analysis, the support staff/s who will be hired for this project will be responsible for the actual crafting of the project output, conduct of relevant research, survey and the complete documentation from the project inception until its conclusion..

[Audio] Likewise, and by necessary implication in case overlapping functions are identified, the TWG shall also meticulously review and analyze the existing human resource landscape within the DOST for purposes of identifying redundancies and areas of specialization gearing towards a strategic workforce planning. The TWG shall primarily be composed by the following: Chairperson: TEODORO M. GATCHALIAN, PH.D Undersecretary for Special Concerns Co-Chairpersons: NAPOLEON K. JUANILLO, JR. PH.D Assistant Secretary for Technology Transfer, Communications and Commercialization DIANA L. IGNACIO, PH.D. Assistant Secretary for Administrative and Legal Affairs RODOLFO J. CALZADO, JR. Assistant Secretary for Development Cooperation.

[Audio] Cluster Head: ASST. SECRETARY NAPOLEON K. JUANILLO, JR. Cluster I Members: Executive Director Reynaldo V. Ebora, PCAARRD Executive Director Jaime C. Montoya, PCHRD Executive Director Enrico C. Paringit, PCIEERD Director Luningning E. Samarita-Domingo, NAST Executive Director Bernardo N. Sepeda, NRCP.

[Audio] Cluster Head: ASST. SECRETARY DIANA L. IGNACIO, PH.D. Cluster II Members: Director Cezar R. Pedraza, Planning and Evaluation Service Director Angely P. Medalle-Alviar, Administrative and Legal Service Director Racquel P. Alvendia, Financial and Management Service Director Franz A. De Leon, ASTI Deputy Director Lucieden G. Raz, OIC, FNRI Dr. Rico J. Cabangon, OIC, FPRDI Director Anabelle V. Briones, ITDI Director Robert O. Dizon, MIRDC Director Carlo A. Arcilla, PNRI Dr. Julius L. Leaño, Jr., OIC, PTRI.

[Audio] Cluster Head: ASST. SECRETARY RODOLFO J. CALZADO, JR. Cluster III Members: Administrator Nathaniel T. Servando, PAGASA Director Teresito C. Bacolcol, PHIVOLCS OIC-Executive Director, PSHS System Engr. Albert G. Mariño, OIC, SEI Director Richard P. Burgos, STII Director Marion Ivy D. Decena, TAPI.

Technical Working Group. Head:. Cluster 3. Members:.

[Audio] After the policy recommendation which contains the rationalization plan (if there is in fact duplication and/or overlapping mandates observed) have been adopted by the DOST agencies, delivery of public service through its programs and projects will now be strictly aligned to agencies' respective mandates and functions. This will lead to an efficient and cost-effective bureaucracy in the DOST. By then, the Department will be better able to extensively and completely look into the functions of other government offices and determine whether the existence of these agencies initially identified in the Senate Plenary Budget Deliberation are indeed in conflict with each other..

[Audio] The project is expected to improve the efficiency in the delivery of public service in the DOST. In order to better serve the people thereby maximizing the overall institutional productivity of these agencies, essentially geared towards maximum economic and social benefits for the people, proper delineation of functions among the offices and attached agencies must be grounded in the mandates of the Department. In the social spectrum, this project will lead to a more responsive and efficient bureaucracy, improving the delivery of STI initiatives by the DOST agencies. This project will foster greater accountability to the public by these agencies, making them more mandate-oriented and expertise-centered government agencies. In the economic landscape, this initiative may result in reducing government expenditure by eliminating and/or redirecting (to the appropriate agency) redundant positions, consolidating agencies, and optimizing the overall operational processes. This leads to cost-efficient governance, allowing better allocation of resources towards the Department's priority areas thus promoting a more productive environment in general..

[Audio] The project will run up to 2 years, this is the detailed project timeline of the proposed GIA project.