Readiness of a Local Government Unit in the Philippines for the Philippine Quality Awards Framework Adoption

Abstract – The Philippine Quality Award (PQA) marked a significant step toward promoting continuous improvement, innovation, and quality management in public and private sectors by providing a unified national framework for assessment and recognition (DTI, 2022). With the City Government of Batangas’ commitment to service excellence and previous successes such as the ISO 9001:2015 certification, pursuing the PQA represents a logical next step. This study aimed to determine the readiness of the Batangas City Local Government Unit for PQA framework adoption. Specifically, it described respondents’ profiles in terms of age, sex, educational attainment, and length of service; assessed readiness for PQA adoption across seven categories (leadership, strategy, customer, measurement, analysis and knowledge management, workforce, operations, and results); tested significant differences in responses based on profile variables; and developed a customized performance excellence adoption plan. Using a mixed-method design, the study surveyed 317 regular employees of the LGU. Findings revealed that most department heads were aged 45–64, had long tenures, and held graduate degrees, while rank-and-file employees were generally younger and held undergraduate degrees, with females outnumbering males in both groups. Leadership received the highest readiness rating, while measurement, analysis, and knowledge management rated lowest among department heads, with all dimensions interpreted as “Strongly Agree.” Employees rated leadership and workforce highest, with strategy, operations, and results rated lower, interpreted as “Agree” or “Strongly Agree.” Educational attainment significantly affected leaders' perceptions, while among employees, age, sex, and years in service showed significant differences, supporting the proposed adoption plan to enhance LGU readiness for the PQA.