Metro Manila – The National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) has successfully concluded its 2021 Year-End Performance Assessment and 2022 Strategic Planning Exercise last 18-19 January 2022 via Zoom platform. It was attended by the officials of the NCMB Central Office together with the Regional Conciliation and Mediation Board’s (RCMB) Directors to assess the performance of their offices for the past year and lay out their plans for the year 2022. The activity was spearheaded by the Research and Information Division (RID) of the Central Office to gauge and monitor the performance of the NCMB and the RCMBs vis-a-vis the targets set, both at National and Regional level, in line with the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

As part of the annual activity, NCMB Executive Director Maria Teresita D. Lacsamana-Cancio provided her policy direction setting for the Board. She began by saying “Everytime we hold our performance assessment and strategic planning exercises, we always have to look back on the past months and the previous year to see what our lapses were – ano yung ginawang mabuti, ano yung nagkulang, ano yung hindi tama, so that we could forge ahead. We cannot plan for the coming year or for the coming months if we do not know what went on in the previous year or months. Hence, performance assessment and planning always go together.” She also mentioned that in every performance assessment, she wondered if the NCMB indeed was able to help its clients. ED Lacsamana-Cancio added that knowing the numbers alone is not enough as what matters most is the quality of assistance provided to the clientele. “What is important is knowing what really transcribed during the process and the steps taken to achieve the output,” she added. ED Lacsamana-Cancio applauded the NCMB for achieving most of its targets for 2021. However, she mentioned that there are two (2) indicators whose targets were not achieved.

“The policy never changes, and that is the settlement of disputes, in helping workers and management bridge their gaps for better understanding, for acceptance, for them to gear towards good labor-management relations.” ED Lacsamana-Cancio reiterated during her concluding statement.

The 2021 Board’s Accomplishments and the 2021 Financial Accomplishments were presented by the Research and Information Division (RID) and Financial Management Division (FMD), respectively.

The Regional Conciliation Mediation Branches’ directors presented their strategies and plan of actions for 2022 in relation to program implementation and in achieving their respective targets on the two (2) organizational outcomes, specifically the Labor-Management Partnership and Empowerment Program and Labor Case Management.

Deputy Exec. Director Maria Cristina O. Mangaliman laid out the general plans and strategies as far as the three (3) program areas are concerned, namely:  Labor-Management Partnership and Empowerment Program, Labor Case Management Program, and Support to Operations.

ED Lacsamana-Cancio reminded every program implementer to monitor the NCMB programs. There should be consistency and continuity in all efforts being made. She added that all her comments were made to improve the programs and performance of the Board. She emphasized the role of all officials and staff in attaining the targets of the Board, saying, “everyone must chip in to the efforts and work of the Board to help labor and management achieve and maintain industrial peace”. Thus, she said official and staff alike must have the necessary knowledge and skills in the performance of their duties and tasks. 

END/ianne r. go