The Performance Governance System (PGS) is a framework for formulating and implementing strategies aimed at governance reform capacities towards better service delivery. The system has been designed to achieve breakthrough results while consistently aligning with the institution’s strategic roadmap. The PGS has four stages:

INITIATION STAGE

STRATEGY DESIGN. This involves the identification of objectives, strategies, and impact indicators towards attaining the institution’s vision.

COMPLIANCE STAGE

STRATEGY EXECUTION. This involves the alignment of the whole organization to its strategies. The alignment would include cascading the strategies to the different units for implementation with the development of scorecards or scoreboards for monitoring progress, collaborating with external stakeholders through the multisectoral governance coalition, and creation of an Office for Strategy Management (OSM) to ensure the continuity of the institution’s roadmap.

PROFICIENCY STAGE

MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF THE STRATEGY. This involves a successful strategy execution. Under the guidance of the Office for Strategy Management (OSM), systems and processes will continuously be refined such that scorecards will evolve into inherent processes.

INSTITUTIONALIZATION

ATTAINMENT OF BREAKTHROUGH RESULTS. Good governance is integral in the organization resulting in breakthrough results. Furthermore, through the stages of the PGS, clear processes also evolved to ensure the sustainability of the framework.

All of these stages direct us to our goal of becoming “beyond better”. 

The Performance Governance System (PGS) was first introduced to BGHMC in 2016. It initially came as a new idea and a new way of doing things, but it served as an opportunity to acknowledge the good practices of BGHMC that have been in place for the past years. BGHMC’s PGS Journey has been serving as a systematic method of continuously improving and expanding the institution’s capabilities to better serve its widening clientele for 5 years now.

From being an 800-bed capacity, tertiary teaching and training referral hospital with specialty services catering to the people of the Cordilleras and its neighboring provinces, BGHMC learned to expand its vision by incorporating the establishment of more specialty centers to be the prime multi-specialty center in Northern Luzon. The central idea of all these development goals is to bring health services closer to the people, as it was mandated by the Universal Health Care Act to provide accessible, equitable, and affordable health care to all Filipinos.

Initiation Stage

Just like any other journey, the beginning is always the most challenging as it demands the willingness to embrace change and the courage to let go of old practices that do not help attain the set goals. BGHMC’s experiences during the initiation stage started with organizing the PGS Core Team and establishing the Office for Strategy Management, which served as the main groundbreaker of the journey. Accompanied by the encouraging support of the top management led by the Medical Center Chief, the planning and implementation of the initial works for PGS were successfully done. With significant assistance from the Institute of Solidarity in Asia, BGHMC was able to undergo the process of refinement, cleaning up, and cascading of the hospital strategies, and came up with the strategic positioning and formulation. The active participation of all departments, sections, and units of the hospital led to the successful completion of the initiation stage where BGHMC was able to garner a Gold Trailblazer Award during the first revalida in 2018.

Compliance Stage

To start is just one thing; to be consistent is another. This is the reason why BGHMC did not take a break from its PGS Journey and continued thereafter to the Compliance Stage. Continuous efforts to cascade the strategy map and scorecards were done through vetting sessions by the Top Management, PGS Core Team, and the OSM with the different departments, sections, and units to ensure that everyone is taking flight from the same ground and in the same direction. All employees’ undeniable support in aligning themselves with the institution’s set goals and objectives made the implementation easier. Monitoring and evaluation of targets were done by incorporating them into the IPCR, DPCR, and OPCR of staff. Quarterly audits were also conducted by OSM Members to ensure that the progress being taken by the departments, sections, and units is kept on track.

Moreover, it was also during this stage that the Multi-Sectoral Governance Council was formed with representatives from the City Government of Baguio (Hon. Benjamin Magalong), Academe (Prof. Erlinda Palaganas), National Economic Development Authority (Dir. Milagros Rimando), Civil Service Commission-CAR (Dir. Marilyn Taldo), and Civil Society Organization (Ms. Maria Victoria Bugasto). The council was established as the advisory board of BGHMC in the implementation of the PGS. Also, the council was formed to serve as BGHMC’s strong external link with stakeholders who have special interests in the field of health.

With all of the collaborative efforts within BGHMC and with its external partners, another recognition was received during the revalida for Compliance Stage in November 2019 with a Silver Trailblazer Award. This has added another reason for BGHMC to strive in its PGS Journey until the institutionalization stage by further inculcating the value of target setting, monitoring, and evaluation towards one vision.

A Meaningful Pause

Even with the enthusiasm to carry on with the journey to the next stage, BGHMC has been greatly challenged by the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic which has immensely struck the healthcare system globally. As the apex hospital in Northern Luzon, BGHMC was designated as the COVID-19 Referral Center for the Cordillera Region and its neighboring provinces. However, even with the pressing challenge brought by the health emergency crisis, BGHMC strived to continue integrating PGS by continuously encouraging all departments to think of strategic targets that would make their services more resilient for all unforeseen circumstances like the pandemic. This was done through the mandatory COVID-proofing of all processes of the departments.

Coaching and mentoring with the Institute of Solidarity in Asia was also pursued through the conduct of virtual strategy review sessions to present the current status of BGHMC in its PGS journey and gain insights from the experts of ISA on how to further improve and expand in strategy targeting and achievement. After these, vetting sessions were also consistently initiated by the OSM and the Planning Unit every semester, with the support of the top management, to ensure that all targets being set by the different departments are towards the attainment of the hospital’s vision.

While BGHMC continues to work its way to the next level of the PGS Journey, ISA has also provided an opportunity for BGHMC to share its best practices with other facilities that are beginners in the journey, and one of these is the virtual Capacity Building Workshop with Cebu South Medical Center. Through this activity, Dr. Gwynette Dizon, the current chairperson of the OSM, was able to provide a walkthrough of BGHMC’s expedition from the initiation stage to the compliance stage. Aside from this, BGHMC has also been regularly invited by the Department of Health to share its best practices with other secondary and primary facilities that need technical assistance, especially in crafting their hospital development plans.

Preparation for the Next Level

The OSM, with the approval of the Medical Center Chief, plans to pursue the third stage of the PGS Journey in 2024 – the proficiency stage. One important aspect that is aimed to be fulfilled is the expansion of the Multi-Sectoral Governance Council (MSGC) by inviting more significant partners from the local government, national government agencies, academe, civil society organizations, wellness organizations, and sports organizations. This diversification of the council will certainly help BGHMC in widening further its network to have a more holistic approach to pursuing greater aspirations. This will also provide BGHMC with greater opportunities for collaboration and linkages.

In the proficiency stage, the general expectation is that BGHMC must display a high degree of competence in all the areas that were developed during the initiation and compliance stages. With this, all departments and staff will continually be encouraged to participate in the setting, monitoring, and evaluation of strategic goals and targets. Vetting sessions, quarterly audits, and strategy refreshes will also continue to be conducted regularly to ensure that everyone is on the same page as the whole institution proceeds with the next stages. It is with high hopes that in the last two stages of the PGS Journey, BGHMC will continue to thrive to fulfill its primary vision for the next coming years – to be the Prime Multispecialty Center in Northern Luzon, serving the Filipino people with affordable, accessible and quality healthcare services that each one of them truly deserves.

The BGHMC Governance Council acts as an advisory board in terms of the implementation of the Performance Governance System of the hospital. The BGHMC Governance Council serves as a strong external link of the organization to other stakeholders who show special interest in healthcare, particularly in the field of research, training, and service delivery. It shall bring additional inputs in the formulation of basic governance documents, fill in gaps to completely execute processes, provide guidance in the monitoring of the developments, and move with the institution for the sustainability and continuity of the transformation roadmap.

From the initial formation of the BGHMC Governance Council in 2019, it was expanded in November 2022 to further enlarge the coverage of stakeholders in assisting BGHMC attain its strategic position. From the initial 5 members coming from the Local Government, NEDA, CSC, Academe, and Civil Society, 6 more members were added coming from the Office of the District Representative, Philippine Information Agency, Department of Health, Indigenous People’s Group, and Religious Sector. The members were divided into three committees which are the following:

Policy and Governance Committee
• DR. MYRNA C. CABOTAJE (Chairperson)
Consultant, Retired Undersecretary
Department of Health
• PROF. ERLINDA “CASTER” PALAGANAS (Vice-Chairperson)
Professor, College of Nursing
University of the Philippines, Manila
Vice President, National Association of Public Health Nurses
• HON. BENJAMIN B. MAGALONG/MR. VIC JIMENEZ
Local Chief Executive
City Government of Baguio
• HON. MARQUEZ O. GO/MS. IMELDA SEDANO
District Representative
City Government of Baguio
• DIR. HELEN TIBALDO
Regional Director
Philippine Information Agency-CAR

Resource Planning and Generation Committee
• DIR. SUSAN A. SUMBELING
Regional Director
National Economic and Development Authority – CAR
• DIR. FERNANDO MENDOZA
Regional Director
Civil Service Commission – CAR
• HON. MARQUEZ O. GO/MS. IMELDA SEDANO
District Representative
City Government of Baguio
• HON. BENJAMIN B. MAGALONG/MR. VIC JIMENEZ
Local Chief Executive
Baguio City
• ATTY. JOSEPH RULLA
Vice President
BGHMC Advisory Board

Networking and Alliance Committee
• DIR. HELEN TIBALDO
Regional Director
Philippine Information Agency, CAR
• DR. RYAN GUINARAN
Development Consultant
Executive Director, Doctors for Indigenous Health & Culturally Competent Training, Education, Networking & Governance (DITENG) Inc.
• MS. MARIA VICTORIA A. BUGASTO
Cancer Advocate
Civil Society Organization
• REV. DR. ARNOLD L. SANTONIA
Senior Pastor
Light of the World Worldwide Ministries-Baguio
• ATTY. JOSEPH RULLA
Vice President
BGHMC Advisory Board