Initial Institutionalization of Results-Based Performance Management System in Public Higher Education: The Cagayan State University Experience

The search for means and ways to improve efficiency, effectiveness and productivity in the Philippine bureaucracy has been a great concern of the Aquino's administration. This search paved the way for the issuance of Administrative Order (AO) No. 25 creating an Inter-Agency Task Force on the Harmonization of the National Government Performance, Monitoring, Information and Reporting System. The Administrative Order establishes a unified and integrated Results-Based Performance Management System (RBPMS) across all the departments and agencies to rationalize, harmonize, streamline, simplify and unify the efforts of all the agencies towards the realization of the commitments in the Philippine Development Plan 2011–2016 and the Administration's five Key Results Areas (KRAs) under Executive Order (EO) No. 43, s. 2011 otherwise known as Aquino's Social Contract with the Filipino People. Using the IPO Model, the study surveyed the physical targets and budget of the university (input) and determined the extent of compliance of the university to Good Governance Conditions and the actual accomplishment of the physical targets (process). The output of the study is three-fold namely, the performance of the university along Good Governance Conditions and Major Final Output; identification of problems, issues and concerns in the implementation of RBPMS and; Identification of possible interventions to address the weaknesses of the university. Data were derived from the Management Accountability Report Card and Major Final Output Accountability Report Card duly validated by the Inter-Agency Task Force. Furthermore, survey instruments for client satisfaction, documentary analysis for the performance of the MFOs and focused group discussion for determining the problems, issues and concerns in the implementation of RBPMS were utilized. Findings of this study reveal that the different stakeholders of the university embraced this government's directive as a welcome change and as an effective catalyst to further improve its commitment to public service. This is very well articulated in its performance along the realization of its Major Final Outputs (MFOs) and its substantial compliance to good governance conditions. The study concludes that CSU as a publicly financed higher education institution judiciously spent public resources based on its laudable organizational outcomes which are contributory to the realization of the Philippine Development Plan, Social Contract of the Aquino Administration to the Filipino people and higher education reform agenda of the Commission on Higher Education. Thus, RBPMS is a promising strategy to overhaul the performance of Philippine bureaucracy particularly the SUCs in the country.