Gov. Edduba pushes reforms: Kalinga PLGU starts re-engineering to improve government performance

Tabuk City, Kalinga – The provincial government of Kalinga has begun discussions and planning on the “re-engineering” of its offices and workforce as part of Governor James Edduba’s push for a more efficient and performance-driven government during his second term.

On Monday, March 16, members of the Provincial Change Management Team, presided by Vice-Chairperson and Provincial Administrator Teddy Gulay, discussed the steps, adoption of guiding principles, and timeline for the review of office staffing and personnel as well gaps in the Provincial Local Government Unit (PLGU) of Kalinga.

These, according to the members of team, are of paramount importance for the success of the re-engineering plan and to improve efficiency and ensure that government resources are utilized where they are most needed.

During the meeting, Office of the Provincial Human Resource Management Officer (OPHRMO) Assistant Department Head Remely Battikin mentioned the current staffing situation of the province, showing a total of 1,040 plantilla positions.

Of this number, 916 positions are filled, while 124 remain vacant across provincial offices and hospitals.

It was suggested that existing positions, including the identification of redundant posts, the possible consolidation of positions that may no longer be necessary, and changes in nomenclature to align job titles with the actual functions being performed must be evaluated as part of creating the guidelines for re-engineering.

The committee also discussed the redistribution of plantilla positions to departments requiring additional manpower to ensure that critical services are adequately staffed while maintaining fairness in the allocation of resources.

Other bases for the guiding principles of the re-engineering process discussed included evidence-based decision-making, compliance with civil service rules, efficiency and timeliness in service delivery, and fiscal responsibility to ensure the province remains within the approved personnel services budget limits.

Part of the process will involve reviewing organizational documents such as the mandates of offices, organizational structures, and functional charts of provincial departments.

An initial action plan showed that the organizational review and preparation of the Provincial Optimization Plan will be carried out by a technical working group and secretariat in the coming weeks.

Further discussions are expected to take place in the coming days.

It can be recalled that following his re-election, Governor Edduba announced the re-engineering initiative to provincial employees, emphasizing the need to improve government performance and ensure that employees are placed in positions where they can perform effectively based on merit and capability.

He added that the initiative forms part of his long-term vision to strengthen the provincial government and eventually achieve ISO certification, a global standard for quality management in public service.

“Kayat ko lang nga ma-review amin nga trabaho yu tapnu towards the re-engineering, maikabil tayu to the right positions based on merit, not politics. They said I lacked political will, but this time we will show them that we are serious about reforms. Ti primary function tayu ditoy ket ag-deliver ti napinpintas nga serbisyu ti kailyan tayu. That is our main focus. Let us unite and work together,” Edduba said during the PLGU’s flag-raising ceremony on May 19, 2025.