THE Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) through its attached agency, Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB), launched the search for the 2017 Productivity Olympics in Zamboanga Peninsula.
RTWPB secretary Jeol Ijirani said Productivity Olympics is a biennial national competition which would showcase the best productivity improvement programs and practices among micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the country.
Ijirani said the nomination for the Productivity Olympics is now open and entries must be submitted at the RTWPB regional office on or before May 30.
The qualifications for MSMEs to join the Productivity Olympics are the following:
- Registered with appropriate government agencies such as the Department of Trade and Industry, Securities and Exchange Commission and others;
- Must have a two-year existing productivity improvement plan under the National Wages and Productivity Commission’s ISTIV program;
- Labor standards compliant; and
- Never been a national recipient of the Productivity Olympics award.
ISTIV is an acronym for Industrious, Systematic, Time Conscious, Innovative and Strong Value for Work.
The Productivity Olympics have three categories: agribusiness, service, and industry MSMEs. Micro employs one to nine workers; small employs 10 to 99; and, medium employs 100 to 199 employees.
The criteria for judging are the following: business excellence to include productivity, expansion, and growth as well as awards and recognition, 50 percent; and resources management, 50 percent.
Ijirani said the awarding of the regional winners is scheduled to be held on the third or fourth week of June while the national awarding will be in October in time for the observance of the National Quality and Productivity Improvement Month.
The winners will receive cash prizes and plaques. The regional level winners will represent Zamboanga Peninsula in the National Productivity Olympics. (Bong Garcia/VoxPop Philippines)