Community Corrections Journal

C o m m u n i t y C o r r e c t i o n s JOURNAL Volume XXIII, No. 2

JUL—SEPT 2020 The Official Quarterly Publication of Parole and Probation Administration - Central Office http://probation.gov.ph [email protected] /ProbationOfficialPH

PPA Commemorates 44th Anniversary

Inside this issue:

The DOJ Agencies Building at NIA Road corner East Ave., Diliman, QC PPA commemorates 1 44th anniversary

PCS celebrates 2 120th anniversary imple yet significant activities marked the 44th weeklong anniversary celebra- Message from the 3 S tion of the Parole and Probation (PPA) from July 18-24, 2020 due to various OIC-Administrator restrictions and the new alternative working arrangement being implemented in

PPA joins the 2020 the various government offices. virtual FOI-FRO 4 hangout The low-key celebration of the agency’s anniversary was in compliance with the health protocols being implemented by the government as part of its response to PPA QMS Internal combat further spread of COVID-19. Audit Team conducts 5 audit This year’s anniversary theme of “PPA @44: Resilience Amidst the Pandemic”

Shifting HR practices reflected the strategy and direction the agency is adopting to sustain its goal to in the time of COVID- 6 rehabilitate its client even under the “new normal”. 19 The different activities done during the anniversary celebration by all regions Feature: Commit- 7 ment in Adversity included thanksgiving mass, virtual seminars or webinar, viewing of documen- taries regarding health protocols on COVID-19, slogan/poster making, online

Shout out 8 information drive, free drug testing for clients, tree planting, clean-up drive and conduct of PCR/rapid test for office personnel.

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PPA commemorates… from page 1

The celebration was led by Officer-In-Charge Administrator Allan B. Alcala by giving his message to the entire PPA workforce. In his message, he encouraged everyone to remain optimistic, patient and to find opportunity in the current difficulty we are all facing.

The probation system was established by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 968 or the Adult Probation Law on July 24, 1976. /ecl

PCS Celebrates 120th Anniversary

he Civil Service Commis- namely: Week 1 – Linggo ng Aside from the conduct of the T sion (CSC) led the 120th Lingkod Bayani; Week 2 – scheduled activities, special anniversary celebration of the Linggo ng Yamang Tao; Week treats for all government Philippine Civil Service with a 3 – Linggo ng Malasakit and employees were given such as theme “Philippine Civil Ser- Week 4 – Linggo ng Pasasala- discounts on products and vice @120: Public Sector in mat. Notable undertakings services of Ace Hardware, SM the Age of Digital Transfor- during the 30-day celebration Appliance Center, Ideal Vision, mation” from September 1-30, were public sector and human Payless Shoe Store, Ka 2020. resource forum, online photog- Tunyings Café, Flexispot and raphy contest, government Anthony Audio. Adhering to this year’s theme online job fair, virtual official especially in the context of the The annual R.A.C.E to Serve family day and hanging of abnormal situation like the FUN RUN was postponed until streamers and posting of pro- current pandemic, majority of next year’s celebration of the motional materials. In support the activities during the celebra- PCS anniversary. /ecl of the annual observance of tion used different platforms to Family Day, work in all offices prevent the spread of the virus. of the Executive Branch was suspended on September 28, The monthlong celebration was 2020 to mark the Kainang organized into weekly activities Pamilya Mahalaga Day. with the following sub-themes,

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Message from the OIC-Administrator

Our theme, “PPA @ 44: Resilience Amidst the Pandemic” could not be more fitting considering that July is also the “Disaster Resilience Month”.

Greetings to everyone on our 44th Anniversary as we also celebrate the 26th Probation and Parole Week on July 18-24, 2020.

Why RESILIENCE? – Because we need to get back on our feet as fast as we can! Resilience means… ‘the ability to recover from a misfortune or change’.

Definitely, the COVID-19 pandemic brought a radical change in our lives, in the way we do things nor- mally, or as we are used to doing things.

But let us not despair, let us not resist. Let us embrace this change, because we need to find an opportunity in this difficulty rather than see difficulty in this opportunity… an opportunity to create solutions!

Let’s not be pessimists, who complain about the wind; not optimists, who expect the wind to change. But let us be realists who adjust the sails to manage the wind.

Let’s just be patient. Sometimes we have to go through the worst to get to the best.

Let us see this pandemic as both a lesson and a blessing.

LESSON because it taught us to revisit, rethink, reboot or reconfigure our mindset; to take a paradigm shift. After all, it is not our situation but our reaction to the situation that makes things difficult as we find it hard to depart from our comfort zone. Yet, life begins beyond our comfort zone. If we accept the change and try to adapt, then we find that we can just as well survive and thrive. Because as Darwin said, “It’s not the strongest nor the smartest, but the most adaptive species that survive”.

BLESSING because during this pandemic, when you arise in the morning, just think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive, to breathe, to think, to move, to enjoy, and to love! If you come to think of it, others aren’t so lucky. Others can hardly breathe. They can hardly move. And sometimes they just stay and remain in the hospital bed. There they stay in the Mona Lisa Hospital, where they just lie there… and they die there. We are indeed so blessed that we are alive, kicking and bustling.

So do not worry much, because this, too, shall pass. Just stay alive, trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper!

And keep in mind that… what we do well yesterday, we can do better today. So… Let’s Be Resilient.

Happy Anniversary!

ALLAN B. ALCALA OIC-ADMINISTRATOR 24 July 2020

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PPA Joins the 2020 Virtual FOI-FRO Hangout

he Parole and Probation Administration (PPA) participated in the 2020 Freedom of Information T (FOI) Receiving Officers Hangout held last September 25, 2020 by the Presidential Communica- tions Operations Office (PCOO).

Attended by almost 170 Receiving Officers from different national government agencies, the annual gathering was conducted online and facilitated by Ms. Danica A. Orcullo and Ms. Patricia Marri O. Ma- ranan, FOI Senior Compliance Officer and FOI PBB Validating Officer, respectively. The event was opened by Assistant Secretary Kristian Ablan with welcome remarks, while Secretary Jose Ruperto Martin Andanar delivered his message.

During the hangout, the PCOO reported on the status of FOI program implementation in the country and the compliance rate of all national government agencies, government-owned and controlled corpora- tions, state universities and colleges and local water districts in the program.

According to PCOO, 100% NGAs, 92% GOCCs, 96% SUCs and 41% LWDs are implementing the program. On the other hand, 490 offices are already onboard the eFOI portal and had acted upon a total of 39,970 requests from November 2016 to September 2020. To date, a total of 69,611 requests, both paper-based and electronic, were received during the same period.

The PCOO also bared that the government agencies with the greatest number of FOI requests during the lockdown were the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Social Security System, Depart- ment of Overseas and Local Employment, Department of Education, Overseas Workers and Welfare Administration and the Department of Health.

Prior to the hangout event, the PCOO and the National Privacy Commission (NPC) jointly conducted the 1st Data Privacy and FOI Congress of 2020 wherein various clarifications were made on the relevant and critical issues surrounding the implementation of the Data Privacy Act of 2012 specially during the pandemic. The said conference also served as a venue to debunk the myth about DPA and FOI being contradicting concept on information accessibility. /ecl

Access the FOI website here: https://www.foi.gov.ph

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PPA QMS Internal Audit Team Conducts Audit

n preparation for the forthcoming external audit of TUV NORD in November 2020, the Quality Man- I agement System (QMS) Core team of the Parole and Probation Administration started to conduct its internal audit of the concerned offices or sites from September 7 to October 29, 2020.

The said internal audit also aimed to determine the extent of conformity with the standards’ defined cri- teria, compliance with legal and statutory requirements, evaluate the effectiveness of the QMS to meet its objectives and identify areas of improvement.

The scope of audit included the QMS of the PPA and its management, core and support processes such as human resource, training and development, recruitment and selection, procurement, out- sourced service management, financial management, records and information, investigation, supervi- sion and rehabilitation, case management, communications management and administration of administrative cases/rules of courts. Meanwhile, the audit of the Therapeutic Community Modality, Restora- tive Justice and Volunteerism was scheduled in 2021.

The audit covered the following sites, namely, the Central Office, National Capital Regional Office; Ma- nila Parole and Probation Office Nos. 3, 5 & 6; PPA Regional Office No. 7; Cebu City PPO and Lapu- Lapu City PPO. Due to the pandemic, the audit was conducted through either online or face-to-face and participated by process owners identified in the different sites. /ecl

WELCOME to PAROLE AND PROBATION ADMINISTRATION

Deputy Administrator JULITO M. DIRAY

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Shifting HR Practices in the Time of COVID-19: What Does the HR Landscape Look Like Now and in a Post-Pandemic World?

(Originally published in the Civil Service Reporter magazine, 2nd quarter issue for 2020, pp. 42-43)

ommunity quarantines have pushed organizations to abruptly shift to remote work and other alternative C work arrangements to ensure the health and safety of their people. Without question, COVID-19 highlighted the importance of people in all aspects of business operations. Hence, the crisis has also put a lot of pressure on the shoulders of those primarily in charge of looking after the employees— the human resource team.

In a blink of an eye, COVID-19 has made HR’s role in an organization highly indispensable. Some publishing companies have even tagged it as one of the most important jobs right now. Just when the world was only about to adapt to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) where conversations centered on artificial intelligence and auto- mation replacing humans, and the rapid acceleration of digital innovations disrupting our lives, the pandemic is a stark reminder to focus on what truly matter. More particularly in HR, it reminds HR practitioners to bring the ‘human’ back in human resources while trying to survive the shock of COVID-19.

This article is the first of a two-part series in this magazine that captures various insights from local and international business articles, studies, and research that describe how HR practices are shifting and shaping the future workplace. Part 1 will focus on workforce’s wellbeing safety, virtual workspace, and e-learning and development.

Prioritizing workforce’s wellbeing and safety

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Work-From-Home (WFH) has been an imperative parallel to the “Stay at Home” directive from the World Health Organization and national health authorities. Remote working, once considered as a rare preference or an incentive for employees, has now become the new norm for majority of workers.

HR teams are prioritizing workforce’s health and safety by developing and improving WFH policies and other alternative work arrangements. On the other hand, those who still need to report to work physically, at least on some days, are provided with necessary support like transportation and free personal protective equipment. Others went as far as offering financial assistance to workers in need. In the office, employees have to observe proper health and safety protocols. Communication materials about COVID-19 and safety tips are posted on highly visible areas. Alcohol, hand sanitizers, and handwashing soap are provided as well. Leaders have also set up COVID-19 response plans in case an employee tests positive for the virus. These are just some of the measures being taken today as part of the new normal, and are predicted to be practiced even after this pandemic.

Aside from ensuring physical safety, HR practitioners also set their eyes on ensuring people’s wellbeing. Accor- ding to Oxford’s Dictionary of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, wellbeing is a holistic view of the health of individuals and groups of people that goes beyond a biomedical perspective and includes multiple dimensions such as physical, emotional, social, intellectual, spiritual, and environmental. This is precisely why HR teams are looking for initiatives that can address these multiple aspects of an employee’s life. Before, wellness programs would usually include only physical exercises and yoga. When COVID-19 happened, these expanded to include sessions on mental health, counselling, and other psychosocial support. Some sessions are very specific like building resilience in the time of COVID-19, or mindfulness and healing during crisis. The approach to workplace wellbeing has become more purposive, making it more targeted to employees’ needs.

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FEATURE

Commitment in Adversity By Pamela Denise Datu

lose your eyes. Take a deep breath. Do you remember the first time you heard the news of the C local transmission of COVID-19 in the country? What did you feel? Were you alarmed? Anxious? For most us, both. It is so vivid that we get goosebumps just by recalling it. Homes were sealed from the outside world as confirmed infection cases rise; and trips to the markets and grocery stores feel like hunting for foods and necessities, buying everything available and emptying our banks because scarci- ty is inevitable. Most of all, it made us limit our contact with our friends and relatives. We wanted to work to feed our family, but the agony of going out and with the implementation of the Enhanced Com- munity Quarantine made us think twice – thrice even. The pandemic brought about by COVID-19 wreaked havoc around the world when it infected and took the lives of millions of people. According to the latest data released by the Department of Health, in the Philippines alone, almost 350,000 individuals tested positive; 10,3441 of which are public servants. Despite the danger of getting infected and the fear of the unknown, almost everyone returned as scheduled, observed the minimum public health standard, and continued to fulfill the oath as public servants. As public servants, we returned to our posts because it is our oath to serve the Filipino people. But is that only it? For selfless reasons, we went back because we are committed to assist the people that need our services; people whom we want to serve before ourselves – our beloved PPA, the clients, and our colleagues. We compromise to make our schedules work and ensure the continuous de- livery of services to our clients. We also have our family, the solace that we want to be with after a long tiring day, and whose stomach we wish filled with nourishment Despite our dedication and perseverance to do our duties, most often than not, most of us struggle to keep things going. Regardless of the challenges of daily commute, we manage to get ourselves a safe ride to and from our homes. Even if we are having a hard time during online trainings because of bad internet connection, we persevere to learn and grow. However advanced technology can be, we strive to keep up and cope up. And in spite of the worrisome behavior of the virus, we stayed safe and sane. With the emergence of the virus and the front liners showcasing their dedication and expertise in their respective fields, we ask ourselves, “what is relevant during these trying times?” Is what we do enough? Our toils are unremittingly sufficient. Though we are unheard or unseen, every day, in a different way, we save lives. Remember that every chance we give is equivalent to a life reclaimed. Our re- habilitative action is one step closer to a reconnected family, and every accomplishment leads to a life redeemed forever. The pandemic is far from over. Little by little, we will move forward, surpass and conquer every obstacle. Keep on moving. Never forget your reason and purpose and that your hardships, though unheard, are very much appreciated. And that no matter what happens, you are not alone. We are all in this together. # Reference: Moaje, M. (3 August, 2020). Retrieved from Philippine News Agency: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1111263

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shout OUT

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

OCTOBER Bonny Calizo Oct 01 John Gerard Roque Nov 23 Camille Marcelo Oct 03 Virginia Silva Nov 27 Elizabeth Ellar Oct 06 Jose Bonifacio Orendain Nov 30 Alma Camille Estrellado Oct 11 Czarica Pacoma Nov 30 Cynthia Autor Oct 14 Teresita Balajadia Oct 16 DECEMBER Rochele Almarez Oct 18 Milagros Dela Cruz Oct 26 Rhea Cruzada Dec 02 Hazel Pinlac Oct 26 Adel Martir Dec 06 Mary Shayne Ann Maramba Dec 11 NOVEMBER Aegean Ville Pascua Dec 12 Precilla Camposanto Nov 02 Pauline Kaye Herrera Dec 13 Joseph Balane Nov 05 Frederick Sabater Dec 30 Timothy Ross Miranda Nov 06 Maria Rosita Villena Nov 07 Nancy Señoren Nov 10 Shout out information courtesy of Ms. Rochelle Almarez Rosario Labastida Nov 20 of Personnel Section, Administrative Division.

Congratulations TO THE NEWLY-PROMOTED DIRECTORS!

DIRECTOR II DIRECTOR I

1. MA. CHONA M. CAMACHO 1. MA. BEVERLY D. AMPO 2. SHIRLEY L. FERNANDEZ 2. MAE DOLORITA K. MONICIT 3. BELINDA C. ZAFRA 3. WILFRED D. GONNAY 4. AMY HELCONIDA H. SARMIENTO 4. FRANCES F. MAGNAAN

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Shifting HR practices … from page 6

Entering the virtual workspace

By adopting remote work as the new normal, workers had to migrate online. Majority of work activities are now done digitally and online—meetings, sorting and sharing of files, work collaboration, town hall gatherings, among others. This sudden shift from physical to virtual desks has exposed the digital divide between those who have ready access to internet and devices and those who do not; between the highly digital literate and the digital novice.

HR professionals see themselves standing in between these groups of people. They must encourage digital innovation in the workplace while simultaneously doubling efforts to capacitate and provide needed resources to those not adept in using technology. Leaders and managers also decide on which work can be done remotely and which ones cannot. In this case, work restructuring is considered, as well as reskilling and upskilling of the workforce.

Certainly, the digital natives and early adopters of technology will experience minimal to no problem in shifting to the virtual workspace. However, the digital migrants, who are mostly the Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964), might find it difficult to cope with this situation. Aside from the Baby Boomers, there are also others who might experience technophobia or the fear, dislike, or avoidance of new technology and complex devices, especially computers. The idea is not to single out these people. Rather, the challenge for HR managers is to create an inclusive environment for everyone to thrive in this digital revolution.

Championing e-Learning and Development

Among the major HR activities that has been disrupted by COVID-19 is learning and development (L&D). With mass gathering prohibited, including face-to-face classroom training and seminars, organizations’ L&D programs have been put to halt. Some companies were quick to migrate their L&D programs online, while others, especially those observing hierarchical tradition, lagged behind in adapting to changing demands. What are some lessons that can be learned from those who were able to quickly make L&D relevant amid crisis?

Agility is key. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, agility refers to ways of planning and doing work in which it is understood that making changes as they are needed is an important part of the job; it is the ability to move about quickly and easily; the ability to think quickly and clearly. A case in point is the Philippine Society for Talent Development (PSTD) (see full story on pp. 32-37) which saw the need to be relevant in the face of crisis. Hence, it created the Oplan H.O.P.E. taskforce to quickly plan for programs that would help its target stakeholders—the Filipino L&D community. The idea of the taskforce was to enable the team to decide and move quickly and not rely on the traditional top-down flow of instructions. In less than two weeks, PSTD was able to come up with its Learn-from-Home series boasting of local and international speakers and thousands of attendees both on Zoom and Facebook Live.

Creativity and innovation are also prime competencies in doing e-learning and development. It is a common knowledge that L&D facilitators possess natural creativity especially when they are in a traditional classroom setup. But with the changing demands in the L&D circle right, facilitators needed to step up their game. The face- to-face creativity and innovation had to be translated into the online world. In this case, many L&D practitioners are now also learning from several training and workshops to equip themselves on online facilitation—how to design a module for online teaching and learning, how to engage virtual audience, measuring and evaluating online L&D, etc. L & D experts shared a common experience on pursuing creativity and innovation these days – that it takes courage to experiment, to fail fast, and to fail smart.

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Redeeming lives… Restoring relationships...

PPA Newsletter is now Community Corrections Journal - the official quarterly publication of the Parole and Probation Administration - Central Office. It is printed by the Public Information Section—Administrative Division. The change of the name of the official publication reflects the dynamic progress of probation practice and approach throughout the Agency coinciding with the regional and global community corrections standards development. Subsequent issues will Parole and Probation Administration - include regular updates and news on non-institutional rehabilitation, corrections Department of Justice practice, studies and relevant laws.

Comment, suggestion, or query as well as article for consideration in the forthcom- DOJ Agencies Building ing publication are welcome. NIA Road corner East Avenue Diliman, 1100 Quezon City

Phone: (02) 8927-0004 Fax: (02) 8927-6821 Email: Shifting HR practices … from last page [email protected]

Most organizations are still on the reactive mode of doing things in this volatile time. The main focus is still on survival. However, management consulting firm McKinsey & /ProbationOfficialPH Company suggests that organizations must start reimagining the office and work life after COVID-19. Leadership and management experts also urge executives to look beyond this pandemic to clarify directions, and adjust strategic goals if necessary. Now, more than ever, the role of HR and organization development practitioners prove to be vital in ushering people into the new normal and into the post-pandemic world.

We hope that this feature story gives you valuable HR insights and recommendations http://probation.gov.ph that you can use in your organization. Part 2 of this series will focus on employee experience, recruitment and onboarding, and performance management.

We are eager to feature more success stories in the next issues of CS Reporter. If you are keen to contribute, email us at [email protected].

SOURCES: https://ceo.usc.edu/2020/03/23/coronavirus/ https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/reimagining-the-office- and-work-life-after-covid-19 https://humanresources.umn.edu/home/hr-and-covid https://mgmt.au.dk/research-related-to-covid-19/human-resource-management-practices-in-times -of-the-covid-19-pandemic/ https://harver.com/blog/covid-19-hr-resources/ https://hbr.org/sponsored/2020/05/workforce-strategies-for-post-covid-19-recovery https://hbr.org/2020/03/your-employee-tested-positive-for-covid-19-what-do-you-do https://hbr.org/2020/05/lead-your-team-into-a-post-pandemic-world https://hbr.org/2020/05/how-ceos-can-support-employee-mental-health-in-a-crisis https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/to-emerge-stronger- from-the-covid-19-crisis-companies-should-start-reskilling-their-workforces-now https://www.fastcompany.com/90469161/how-hr-leaders-are-preparing-for-the-coronavirus