DAR-Pangasinan vies for international certification

The provincial office of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Pangasinan has started preparation to be certified as abiding by internationally recognized management systems.

Officials and employees of the DAR-Pangasinan, led by Agrarian Reform Sec. John R. Castriciones and provincial chief Maria Ana B. Francisco, conducted last February an internal quality audit orientation and workshop in anticipation of an upcoming inspection by external assessors.

“We have become very relevant these days and the public demands so much from us. We have to be prepared,” Castriciones said.

“That’s the reason why we are trying to update you in matters pertaining to your technical know-how and also in the knowledge that you need in order to come up with very good service to our people. One of this is the ISO 9001-2015,” he added.

According to the website of the International Organization for Standardization, a group of national standards bodies that established these criteria, ISO 9001-2015 is a set of benchmarks for a quality management system.

“This standard is based on a number of quality management principles including a strong customer focus, the motivation and implication of top management, the process approach and continual improvement,” the website says.

“Using ISO 9001:2015 helps ensure that customers get consistent, good quality products and services,” it continued.

The DAR, in its desire to improve the delivery of services through the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, adheres to Administrative Order No. 161, “Institutionalizing Quality Management System in Government,” as amended by Executive Order 605, which institutionalizes the mechanisms, structure and standards to implement the quality management program.

The abovementioned order instructs all departments and agencies to adopt the ISO 9001 system as part of the implementation of the Government Quality Management Program.

#agrarianreformPH