SCALOGManual Part I-Intro and Framework7-30.pdf - LGRC DILG 10

System on Competency Assessment forLocal Governments (SCALOG)A Self-Assessment ToolManual Part I – Introduction and Framework

Table of ContentsIntroduction ....................................................................................................................... 1Purpose ..............................................................................................................................1What are “Organizational Competencies”? ........................................................................1Why are Organizational Competencies important?............................................................2How does the System on Competency Assessment for Local Governments orthe SCALOG Tool relate to the LGPMS framework? .................................................2Organizational Competencies ............................................................................................5About the SCALOG Tool ....................................................................................................7Rating Scale .........................................................................................Error! Bookmarknot defined.Respondents to the Tool ......................................................................8Process for Accomplishing the Tool .....................................................8Scoring and Submission.......................................................................9Analysis Framework ...........................................................................................................9

System on Competency Assessment for Local Governments(SCALOG)IntroductionPurposeThe purpose of the System on Competency Assessment for Local Governments (SCALOG), as aself-assessment tool, is to promote continuous improvement in local government units throughthe identification of organizational strengths and areas for development that can be addressedthrough capacity building efforts.What are “Organizational Competencies”?Organizational competencies are an integrated set of work processes, structures, systems andtechnologies that a LGU must have to render and sustain superior performance. They may alsobe referred to as “institutional or organizational capacity”.Organizational competencies are different from individual competencies. A helpful distinction isshown below:Individual Competency = knowledge + skills + attitude + experienceOrganizational Competency = competent workforce + valid structures + efficientprocesses + effective leadership andmanagement style + adequate resources +appropriate technology, tools, facilities +appropriate culture + effectivepolitical/participatory processes.knowledgeexperienceattitudeskillsIndividual Competency1

validstructuresappropriatetechnologyefficientprocessesappropriate cultureadequateresourcesORGAN-IZATIONeffectivepolitical/participatoryeffectiveleadership andmanagementstylecompetentworkforceOrganizational CompetencyAs indicated above, individual competencies are one component of organizational competencyand manifested in a competent workforce. Other components provide the context that enablegood performance within the organization.Why are Organizational Competencies important?The practice of capacity building for LGUs in the country reveals that individuals are often thefocus of analysis and training is often seen as the answer to performance gaps or organizationalchange. We also know from our own experience and research findings that training is neitherenough nor always an appropriate response. The problem may not simply be the lack ofcompetent warm bodies but the absence of an organizational environment supportive of goalfocusedand results-oriented performance. The latter is the main focus of organizationalcompetencies. Organizations and individuals do not perform in a vacuum; their ability to carry outtheir assigned responsibilities is deeply affected by the broader context within which they operate,i.e. the structures, processes, systems and culture that govern their behavior. Therefore,assessing the organizational competencies of LGUs provides for a broader, more holisticstandpoint in determining capacity improvement needs.How does the System on Competency Assessment for Local Governments or the SCALOGTool relate to the LGPMS framework?The LGPMS measures the inputs and outputs/outcomes of LGU performance. The SCALOGmeasures the “throughput” or the capacity of the LGU to transform inputs into outputs andoutcomes.2

InputsOrganizational Competencies(Throughput)Outputs/OutcomesLGPMS SCALOG LGPMSIn the SCALOG tool, the seven (7) organizational competencies are measured using a 5-pointrating scale of the various performance indicators of the fourteen (14) service areas spread overthe five (5) LGPMS performance areas.The indicators for each of the 14 service areas are classified into two categories: the complianceindicators and the best practice indicators. Compliance indicators reflect conformity to the LocalGovernment Code and other laws and regulations as well as other minimum basic requirementsof LGUs. Best practice indicators on the other hand describe ways in which successful LGUsexhibit effective performance.The interrelation among the seven (7) organizational competencies, fourteen (14) service areasand the five (5) LGPMS performance areas are shown in the following circular diagram with theorganizational competencies at the center and the two concentric rings representing the LGPMSperformance areas broken into the different service areas, with the inner ring for the compliancelevel indicators and the outer ring for the best practice indicators:3

DEVELOPMENTNATURALRESOURCEMGT.WASTE MGT. &POLLUTIONCONTROLFINANCIALACCOUNTABILITY(ICS)FA(ACCOUNTINGSYSTEM)AGRICULTURE &FISHERIESDEVELOPMENTPEACE, SECURITY &DISASTERPREPAREDNESSENTERPRISE,BUSINESS &INDUSTRIALPROMOTIONHOUSING &BASICUTILITIESNATURALRESOURCEMGT.ENTERPRISE BUSINESS& INDUSTRIALPROMOTIONAGRICULTURE & FISHERIESDEVELOPMENTAGRICULTURE & FISHERIESDEVELOPMENTPEACE, SECURITY &DISASTER PREPAREDNESSHOUSING & BASICUTILITIESEDUCATIONWASTE MGT. &POLLUTIONCONTROLORGANIZATIONALCOMPETENCIES(each of the 7)HEALTH & NUTRITIONFINANCIALACCOUNTABILITY(ICS)HUMAN RESOURCE MGT.& DEVELOPMENTFA(ACCOUNTING SYSTEM)RESOURCE ALLOCATION& UTILIZATIONFA(PROCUREMENTSYSTEM)LOCAL LEGISLATIONDEVELOPMENTPLANNINGREVENUE GENERATIONFA(PROCUREMENTSYSTEM)REVENUEGENERATIONLOCALLEGISLATIONDEVELOPMENTPLANNINGEDUCATIONRESOURCEALLOCATION &UTILIZATIONHEALTH &NUTRITIONHUMAN RESOURCEMGT. &4

Organizational CompetenciesA general description of the organizational competencies identified in this study is found below.They are more specifically defined in the Guide in terms of indicators per service area. Theindicators when taken together, describe “best practice”.OrganizationalCompetencies1. Organization andStaffingMajor IndicatorsPresence of a full-time office or offices, and personneldelivering the service. Indicators for this competency include:• Presence of a full-time office attending to this servicearea. (The Local Government Code mandates thecreation of some of these offices.)• The office is staffed with experienced and knowledgeableofficials and employees who are able to produce themajor outputs expected of that office.Where appropriate, the names of specific Code-mandatedorganizations are mentioned in the Specific Guide thataccompanies each service area evaluation.2. Legislative Supportand other EnablingMechanismsAvailability or presence of legislative support for a servicearea through ordinances and resolutions, and other enablingmechanisms such as executive orders, offices orders ormemoranda, etc. Indicators for this competency may include:• There is a standing committee in the Sanggunianfocusing on this service area.• There is legislation/executive issuance intended for theservice area.• If not, there is legislation/executive issuance planned orincluded in the Legislative or Executive Agenda.3. Transparency Proactively disclosing information (e.g., study findings,financial reports) that may interest or affect certain sectors orthe general public. Ensuring that LGU activities and decisionmakingprocesses are open and above board. Presence ofinformation, education and communication programs (IEC).Indicators for this competency may include:• The public has access to records of governmenttransactions, contracts and other public documents.• The public has access to information on LGU plans andprograms.• There are public announcements regarding LGU servicesand requirements related to this service area.• The LGU is using the appropriate media to communicatewith its intended audience.5

4. Management Systems Installing processes and procedures for planning, developing,implementing, monitoring and evaluating programs andprojects. They include the ability to form linkages with otherLGUs, NGOs, educational/research institutions and others formutual cooperation (e.g., in identifying, planning orimplementing projects, sharing resources, etc). Theindicators of this competency may include:• The LGU has a strategic plan for the service.• There is a clear process for initiating projects.• There is a standard planning process for theseprojects.• There is a standard process for monitoring theimplementation of these projects.• There is a standard process for assessing completedprojects.• There is complementation/synergy with other localgovernment programs/services.Complementation/synergy means projectscoordinate/build on each other so that duplication ofefforts or conflicting initiatives are avoided.• The LGU has mutual cooperation agreements orother forms of linkages with other LGUs, NGOs,educational/research institutions, etc., to implementprograms in this service area.5. Participation Involving various stakeholders in problem identification,needs assessment, and in formulation and implementinggoals. Stakeholders are individuals or groups who cancontribute to or benefit from the service. The indicators ofthis competency may include:• NGOs/people’s organizations are represented andare active members of councils, committees orboards.• There are other forms of LGU-NGO/private sector tieup• There is an accreditation process for NGOs, POs,cooperatives, other development associations.• The LGU uses different forums for stakeholders toraise and analyze issues, such as: public hearings,community/ town hall meetings, barangayassemblies, focus-groups and other forms of citizenengagement.• The participation of stakeholders has resulted inchanges in the plans/ programs.6. ContinuousImprovement/InnovationsIntroducing new or modifying existing work processes/procedures/ approaches to accomplish most with the leastoverall expenditure of time and resources. The indicators ofthis competency may include:• The LGU has introduced improvements or innovations inthis service area.• The LGU has applied Information and CommunicationTechnology to this service area.6

7. Customer Service .• Streamlining frontline services to make them morecustomer-friendly and seeking feedback from customersregarding services• The LGU reviews/evaluates its frontline services toidentify areas for improvement.• The LGU streamlines its frontline services in terms ofreduction in:• processing/transaction time• number of requirements• number of signatories• number of steps• The LGU provides customer service training ororientation to its frontline staff.About the SCALOG ToolThe SCALOG Tool is divided into 14 service area instruments (Annex ___). Each instrument hasthree parts:• Part 1: Organizational Competency Assessment Items – This part consists of 14 sectionsrepresenting the service areas of the Local Government Performance ManagementSystem.• Part 2: LGU Strengths and Opportunities for improvement• Part 3: Guide to some items – provides details or explanation on some items of theinstrumentShown below are the five LGPMS performance areas and corresponding service areas in whichspecific organizational competencies are identified. The Governance and Administrationperformance areas all contribute to towards performance in Social Services, EconomicDevelopment and Environmental Management.GovernanceFinancial AccountabilityTransparencyParticipationEquityLocal LegislationAdministrationDevelopment PlanningRevenue GenerationResource Allocation and UtilizationHuman Resource Management andDevelopmentCustomer ServiceSocial ServicesHealth and NutritionEducationHousing and Basic UtilitiesPeace, Security and Disaster PreparednessEconomic DevelopmentAgriculture and Fisheries DevelopmentEnterprise, Business and Industrial PromotionEnvironmental ManagementNatural Resources ManagementWaste Management and Pollution Control7

Respondents to the ToolThe respondents to the instrument include key stakeholders within and outside the LGU. Theywill work as a group to develop a collective response to the questions. Each service area mayrequire different respondents as shown in the table below:Service Area Internal Respondents External RespondentsFinancial Accountability Accounting OfficeBudget OfficeTreasurer’s officeAssessor’s officeAuditorrepresentatives of major clientswith financial transactions withthe LGULocal Legislation Local Chief Executive Sectoral representativesSanggunian secretarySanggunian membersDevelopment Planning Planning and development Sectoral representativescoordinator/ officeDevelopment CouncilRevenue GenerationTreasurerAssessorPlanning and developmentcoordinator/ officeSectoral representativesResource Allocation and Budget OfficeSectoral representativesUtilizationPlanning and developmentcoordinator/ officeHuman Resource Managementand DevelopmentAdministratorHuman Resource Heademployee representativesHealth and NutritionChief health/nutrition officer Health sector representatives/Local Health BoardpartnersEducationEducation HeadLocal Education BoardEducation sectorrepresentatives/ partnersHousing and Basic Utilities Housing/ Urban Poor Action Housing and basic utilities sectorOfficerrepresentatives/ partnersLocal Housing BoardPeace, Security and Disaster Peace, Security and Disaster Peace, security and disasterPreparednessPreparedness head/s preparedness sectorrepresentatives/ partnersAgriculture and Fisheries Agriculture and Fisheries Head/s Agriculture and fisheries sectorDevelopmentrepresentatives/ partnersEnterprise, Business andIndustrial PromotionEnterprise, business andindustrial promotion head/sBusiness sector representatives/partnersNatural ResourcesNatural resources management Environment sectorManagementhead/srepresentatives/ partnersWaste Management andPollution ControlWaste Management andPollution Control head/sEnvironment sectorrepresentatives/ partnersProcess for Accomplishing the Toolo Tool will be administered by the Administrator in series of focus group sessions with theabove groups of respondentso The respondents will each be provided a copy of the tool. It is advisable that they receivea copy beforehand to enable them to review the items, gather data and determine initialratings.o The Administrator facilitates the discussion among the respondents in answering eachitem. Respondents determine collectively whether the competency indicator is present inthe LGU or not.8

ooThe Administrator records the responses.After the focus group, the Administrator determines the competency rating using therating guide in the manual.Scoring and Submissiono The Administrator is provided a diskette with an excel spreadsheet in which to encodethe responses. The spreadsheet automatically calculates the average score for eachcompetency.o Submission via email is highly recommended.o Deadline: data must be encoded and submitted by the Administrator on or before thescheduled deadline as reflected in the calendar.Analysis FrameworkIndicator RatingsRespondents will rate “mandatory” and “best practice” indicators under each competency, usingthe following scale:1 2 3 4 5Never Seldom Sometimes Often AlwaysStatement does notapply at all to theStatement rarelyapplies to the LGUStatementoccasionally appliesStatement applies tothe LGU most of theStatement appliesto the LGU everyLGUto the LGU time timeRatings indicate the extent to which the competency indicators are demonstrated by the LGU.Ratings on individual items are averaged to obtain Indicator ratings. These ratings are used tocompute the Competency Scores.Competency Scores and Development NeedsThe Administrator uses the rating guide to determine the competency scores. For eachcompetency within a service area, a Competency Score, say for Management Systems, iscomputed by taking the average of the indicator ratings under that competency.Each competency score indicates development or capability-building action needed by the LGU.For Compliance competencies, the scores are interpreted as follows:CompetencyScoreCompetencyLevelDescription1-

ImprovementNeeded toAchieve FullComplianceMajorimprovement inmost areasModerateimprovement –both major andminorimprovementneeds arepresentrequirementsMinorimprovement insome areasrequirementsM aintenance ofcurrent levelAt a very high competency level, the LGU can be said to be largely compliant with mandatoryrequirements and would only require maintenance of its current level of competency. At a highcompetency level, the LGU complies with most mandatory requirements but minor developmentmay be required in a few areas to achieve full compliance. At a moderate level of competency,there are both major and minor areas for improvement. At a low level of competency, significantimprovement is required in many areas.For Best Practice Competencies, the scores are interpreted as follows:CompetencyScoreCompetencyLevelDescriptionImprovementNeeded toAchieve FullCompliance1-

Appendix AService Area: EducationCompetency ScoresCompetencyAverageRating1 2 3 4 5Organization and Staffing 3Legislative Support and OtherEnabling Mechanisms3Transparency 3Management Systems 4Participation 2Continuous Improvement 2Customer Service 3Areas of StrengthManagementSystems• …• …Competencies with Major Development NeedsParticipation• …• …Continuous Improvement0• …• …11

Appendix BCompetency: Management SystemsCompetency Scores by Service AreaCompetencyAverageRating1 2 3 4 5Financial Accountability 5Local Legislation 3Development Planning 3Revenue Generation 4Resource Allocation andUtilizationHuman ResourceDevelopment andManagement33Health and Nutrition 2Education 4Housing and Basic Utilities 2Peace, Security and DisasterPreparednessAgriculture and FisheriesDevelopmentEnterprise, Business andIndustrial PromotionNatural ResourcesManagementWaste Management andPollution Control2343312

Service Areas Strong in Management SystemsFinancial Accountability• …• …Enterprise, Business and Industrial Promotion• …• …Service Areas Needing Improvement in Management SystemsHealth and Nutrition• …• …Housing and Basic Utilities• …• …Peace, Security and Disaster Preparedness• …• …Etc. …13