In terms of workforce development: ‘Cebu is not ready for integration’

CEBU, Philippines - The People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) advised local companies in Cebu across all industries to consider venturing into a long-term investment for the development of their workforce.

PMAP past president Grace Sorongon said that there is still a lot to improve among Cebu businesses especially in terms of their human capital.

Sorongon was the 7th female president of  PMAP and served as a member of the PMAP Board of Directors in the previous years.

She is also the vice president and managing director of John Clements Consultants, Inc. that recently opened its second office in Cebu last Thursday at Cebu IT Park.

Sorongon cited that while the local business process management (BPM) industry is at par with the Manila setting, some industries such as the construction and manufacturing sectors who are in need of  people still struggle with their pacing in making quick decisions for the company.

“Cebu is not yet ready. Companies who are in need of people should have to elevate their status in the aspects of employment and recruitment,” she said.

She pointed out that businesses need to invest on the development of their labor force in order to boost their competitiveness in the global market.

“This is a serious investment and you have to look at it in a long-term. The 2015 ASEAN integration may not be your main goal but you must prepare for the future per se,” she continued.

The ASEAN economic community is not only aimed to create a single market and production base that will allow the free flow of goods, investments, services, capital and labor in the region.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations includes the Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. In 2007, these countries agreed to establish the AEC wherein a free trade market will fully take place by 2015. Three members such as Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam shall however participate in 2018.

Sorongon also said that if local firms are eyeing to expand in the region, it is important to have competent people who are ready to be deployed in these countries.

She added that only few companies capitalize on training programs for recruitment process as a priority area for their organizations.

She further noted that the Philippines does not have an integrated program on how pockets of development among economic sectors could be consolidated in order to prepare for the ASEAN economic community.

She said that government agencies such as the Department of Labor and Employment, Commission on Higher Education, Professional Regulation Commission and Board of Investments are exerting their own efforts in preparation for the unified market next year.

Sorongon said that PMAP, on the other hand, aims to define the standards of the labor work force for each discipline and improve the competencies among industries.

While she cannot disclose any findings yet for other disciplines since studies are still ongoing, the accountancy profession in the Philippines has its competencies already in place.

“Come the ASEAN integration, the skills of your workforce need to be acceptable to the neighboring countries. That means they can really work anywhere else in the region. So far, we have identified our accountants as ready for the AEC,” she said.

In his inaugural speech posted on the organization’s website, 2014 PMAP president Atty. Josephus Jimenez shared the same sentiments as Sorongon, comparing the Philippines to countries like Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia in terms of  their level of commitment and urgency in preparing for the unified market.

“There is an endemic apprehension that our country is really not ready to face the reality of integration, with all its facets, dimensions, and far-reaching implications. The government has not sounded a call, much less an urgent call to put all our acts together.  There are pockets of initiatives emanating from some forward-looking agencies, but these are being done in isolation from all other initiatives,” he said.

The organization has created the PMAP´s Roadmap towards ASEAN Integration (P.R.A.I.), a viable roadmap that people managers in the country should follow throughout the year to improve the state of readiness of the Philippine human resource professionals in line with the AEC.

This was launched during the general membership- meeting of the association last month.

“It may be observed that, at this point in time, PMAP may be already too late. But regret is not an option much less to finger-point, which cannot help. We just have to face the immediate challenge no matter how seemingly insurmountable, and do what is necessary and what is within our means,” Jimenez said. (FREEMAN)