The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) IX’s International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Quality Management Service (QMS) certification, the ISO 9001:2015 Second Surveillance Audit was conducted on 13 March 2023 (Monday) by the TUV Rheinland Philippines, Inc. Selected offices from the PSA Central Office and PSA Regional Offices were scheduled for the surveillance audit which commenced from 13 – 17 March 2023. The surveillance audit for PSA IX was scheduled on 13 March 2023 with Audit Site No. 39. 

The surveillance audit began with Site Management with the Office of Regional Director Pamaran with the scope of audit included the Clause 4: Context of the Organization specifically understanding the organization and its context, understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties, determining the scope of QMS, clause 6 is Planning which included the action to address risks and opportunities, quality objectives and planning to achieve them and planning of changes. Another clause included was clause 9: Performance Evaluation specifically monitoring measurement, analysis and evaluation and management review. The clause 10: Improvement consists of general and nonconformity and corrective action. The Civil Registration operation followed  specifically the Civil Registration Services (CRS), Human Resource Section, General Services/Supply Section, the Philsys Birth Registration Assistance Project (PBRAP), Decentralized Copy Annotation Process (DECAP), and Decentralized Solemnizing Officers Information System (DSOIS). Ms. Mendiola and Mr. Faustorilla inquired each section of the standard operating procedures being followed, the significance of the Quality Policy and how it was being implemented to all staff. They also asked about the quality objectives of CRS, and the performance evaluation of personnel to which OIC CRASD Chief, Ms. Roxan Kastine Lumapas, showed the performance evaluation of CRS Associates. He then asked for the responsible person for the performance audit of the personnel or CRS associates. Ms. Lumapas answered that the Unisys human resource is responsible for the matter. The auditors observed the process in the securing of Civil Registry Documents.

For the afternoon session, Auditor Faustorilla audited the provision on Statistical Operation starting with the focal person of Labor Force Survey, Mr. Jeffrey B. Gaballo. He asked him to discuss the processes of the project from the very beginning and was asked to present the guidelines or Memorandum, the Purchase Request, Attendance Sheets, Narrative report, Financial Report and the like. Following Mr. Gaballo was Ms. Michelle Grace Natividad, Focal Person of Consumer Expectation Survey (CES), she was also asked to discuss about the processes of this survey. Ms. Natividad then presented the guidelines or Memorandum on the conduct of the 2023 CES as well as the Minutes of the Meeting before the training, Attendance Sheet, Narrative and Financial Reports. Based on the Guidelines of the PSA Central Office she had provided, she was asked why they conducted the survey for only nine (9) days in contrast to the guidelines to conduct the survey for 11 days with an output of 4 households per day. Ms. Natividad, together with Statistical Specialist II, Rabia Nami responded that concerned subject matter division at the central office provides the list of the sample housing units, sample households and the workload which serves as the basis on the number of enumeration days for the hired Statistical Researchers. Mr. Faustorilla, requested for an evidence to support their claim as they cannot change the methodology stated in the guidelines but when he read the entire guidelines, it was found out that it was stipulated in page 5 of 7 pages.

After auditing in the statistical operation, the auditor proceeded to the Philsys registration and asked to discuss the processes of the Philsys and the updates. Philsys personnel discussed the processes and showed the related documents pertaining to the operations. Upon answering all his inquiries, he smilingly said that he had no further question. 
 

After the surveillance audit on all sites of PSA IX, Mr. Faustorilla, Ms. Mendiola, RD Pamaran and all the regular staff and COSWs were all gathered again in the function room for the closing meeting. Ms. Mendiola took the stage and before presenting their audit observations, the auditors expressed their heartfelt gratitude to PSA IX for the warm reception accorded to them. She then presented the audit findings which consisted of three (3) categories namely Positive Observations, Opportunities for Improvement and Non Conformity. The surveillance audit result for PSA IX yielded a positive audit observations as there were only minor observations under the opportunities for improvement and no findings in non-conformity category.

MEWCHUN WS. PAMARAN
Regional Director

MFET/mgcn