NEWS RELEASE:𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐄𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝟏 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐐𝐌𝐒 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭

𝐁𝐔𝐓𝐔𝐀𝐍 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 – 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 (𝐍𝐐𝐌𝐒) 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐭: 𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 (𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝟏) 𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒, 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑-𝐍𝐄𝐀𝐏 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲.

External Auditor Ivan Felix Herrera (IH), following a meticulously planned and executed audit schedule, delved into the various aspects of the organizational operations and management, particularly the intricate details of the internal processes and their corresponding documentation, in compliance with the standards of the ISO 9001:2015 Clauses.

The audited areas include but are not limited to, the following: Top Management, Context of the organization, Risks and Opportunities, Quality Objectives, Internal Quality Audit Team, Status of Complaints Supporting Functions, 12 Months Key Indicators, Customer Specific Requirements, DCC (Document Control Center), Internal Audit processes, Qualification of Internal Auditors, Review of System Documentation, General Documented Information Control, Management of Change, Human Resource Services and Processes, Competency Basis, Identification of Training Needs, Training Programs, and Planning Audit.

Having observed no non-compliance, with all the provisions and requirements being adequate, Herrera recommended that the regional office proceed to Stage 2 of the audit process, which will commence on February 22, 2024, thereby affirming its commitment to maintaining and improving the quality management system without prejudice to the culture of continuous improvement (CI) applied to the current systems and processes.

Regional Director Maria Ines C. Asuncion, CESO IV, who actively participated via Zoom, profusely thanked Mr. Herrera for guiding the process owners toward gaining better insights and appreciation of the entire NQMS process. Likewise, she thanked and congratulated all regional office employees for their cooperation, hard work, and sacrifices. “We have been through a lot of challenges, but we were able to make it,” she said, expressing confidence that the regional office will eventually obtain the NQMS certification as its contribution to the overall success of the Department of Education.

Assistant Regional Director Dr. Pedro T. Escobarte Jr., CESO IV, who joined the team at the hall, also expressed the same sentiments. Dr. Alejandro P. Macadatar, OIC-Chief of the regional Field Technical Assist Division (FTAD) and Quality Management Representative (QMR), orchestrated the process as the lead audit facilitator for the regional team.

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