The first half of the year proved to be a fruitful one for NEDA Regional Office (NRO) VIII based on the staff’s evaluation of the first semester during the office’s midyear assessment and catch-up planning cum team-building activities held on 7-9 August 2019 at the Malipayon Shores, Libagon, Southern Leyte.

The first semester saw NRO VIII complete the 2018 Regional Development Report (RDR), host the First Quarter Meeting of the NEDA Regional Development Office (MNRDO) and the 37th Cabinet Assistance System (CAS) meeting, and begin the midterm updating of the Regional Development Plan (RDP) 2017-2022 all while keeping up with the office’s normal diet of meetings and workshops.

Despite this positive assessment, the staff also recognized that a lot of work still remains for the last four (4) months of 2019 if the office is to accomplish the goals it set for itself at the start of the year.

Preparation for ISO certification, submission of the updated RDP, and the reorganization of the Regional Development Council (RDC) VIII are just some of the major outputs and activities that await NRO VIII in the remaining time of the year.

The three-day activity also provided a venue for the staff to identify implementation bottlenecks in the office and figure out innovative solutions to improve the implementation of its services onwards.

Staff were encouraged to share lessons learned based on their experiences working for NRO VIII and reveal best practices in their divisions deemed applicable to help the office become more efficient and effective.

Meanwhile, the staff also took full advantage of the short trip away from the office to refocus and reconnect with their colleagues to improve morale, and strengthen camaraderie through team-building workshops and socialization activities.

Article by: Knulp Aseo, NEDA VIII