PTA cited for pro-active programs

BAGUIO CITY — The Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) recently received the Pro-Active Programs Achievement Award (Quality and Productivity Category) from the Department of Trade and Industry’s Center for Industrial Competitiveness (DTI-CIC).

In giving the award, the Center for Industrial Competitiveness cited PTA "for having successfully implemented quality and productivity programs."

It also recognized the agency’s significant contribution to the "national effort in the promotion of industrial peace and harmony and improved productivity."

"The Philippine Tourism Authority has relentlessly pursued quality and productivity through management," said PTA general manager Robert Dean Barbers.

"Certainly, this is an inspiring impetus to the collective efforts of officials and employees of PTA in our first year of working together, a good indicator that we are well on our way to achieving excellence in tourism development," he added.

"For the first time in PTA history," said Tess Diapolet, "we garnered such a prestigious award, a testament to GM Barbers’ competence and leadership."

Diapolet is the president of the Association of Dedicated Employees of Philippine Tourism (ADEPT), the 700-strong PTA employees’ association.

Almost in direct reference to PTA’s slogan, "Pilipino sa Turismo ay Aktibo," the DTI-CIC cited the agency’s pro-active policies, innovative programs, productive human resource, and high-quality services.

"Our immediate goal," Barbers said, "is to engage community-based participation in tourism planning and promotion through our Barangay Excellence in Support of Tourism (BEST) program, which aims to develop ‘tourism villages’ nationwide."

As the sole government agency recipient this year, the citation boosts PTA’s chances in the much-coveted Philippine Quality Award for Excellence.

The award was given during the 13th Annual National Labor Management Council Convention held last March 29-31 at Hotel Supreme in Baguio City. Barbers was represented by Lydia Cosuco, PTA deputy general manager for assets management.

The Search for Model Companies has been an annual undertaking since 1989 to recognize companies with exemplary performance in the areas of labor-management relations, quality and productivity, and family welfare/community relations.