Brigada Ahensiya

May 4, 2009 DOF MEMORANDUM FOR : Heads of Offices This Department Heads of Bureaus/Attached Agencies Department of Finance SUBJECT : Brigada Ahensiya Attached for information and guidance is a copy of CSC Memorandum Circular No. 12, s. 2009 dated April 22, 2009 of the Office of the President on the above-captioned subject. (SGD.) LOURDES Z. SANTIAGO Director IV Central Administration Office ATTACHMENT April 22, 2009 CSC MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 012-09 TO : Heads of Constitutional Bodies, Departments, Bureaus, Agencies of the National Government; Local Government Units; Government-Owned and/or Controlled Corporations; and State Colleges and Universities SUBJECT : Brigada Ahensiya On the principle that a clean, orderly and beautiful work environment enhances efficiency and client satisfaction, the Civil Service Commission is launching in May an annual clean-up program for all government entities, to improve the working conditions of government employees, especially where frontline services are provided. The Brigada Ahensiya annual clean-up aims to instill cleanliness and orderliness in the workplace. Agency office and unit heads are enjoined to lead their staff in the cleanup, repair, repainting and refurbishing of their respective workplaces. Heads of agencies may consider donating items such as furniture, fixtures, supplies and equipment which their offices no longer need to public schools and barangays, subject to the rules of the Commission on Audit and other existing rules and regulations. These measures aim to declog offices thereby providing valuable space for employees' welfare such as physical fitness and sports area, garden plot, mini park or archival area for important documents and office items. Suggested activities may include adherence to Five S's, a list of five Japanese words starting with the letter S Seiri, Seiton, Seiso, Seiketsu and Shitsuke, translated into English as Sort, Systematize, Sweep, Standardize and Sustain. It is a program done in phases to attain orderliness, cleanliness and standardization in a workplace through a methodical manner, resulting to a safer, more efficient, and more productive operation. A brief note on the five S's follows this memo. Agencies and LGUs may also consider carpentry repairs, repainting and refurbishing of facilities, as well as planting and landscaping. Each Agency and LGU shall choose one to three days in May 2009 for its first Brigada Ahensiya, to be repeated every year thereafter. The CSC regional offices shall have simple but meaningful recognition rites for the best Brigada Ahensiya as one of the activities during the observance of the Philippine Civil Service Anniversary. Agencies may likewise encourage its personnel by giving simple tokens of appreciation, such as citation or awards to the best departments on their contribution to the said program. Model government agencies shall share their success/achievements with other agencies. CSaITD (SGD.) RICARDO L. SALUDO Chairman Brief Description of 5S * Phase 1 Seiri (Sort): The first step of the "5S" process refers to the act of discarding all unnecessary and unrelated materials in a particular workplace. The number of needed items must be kept to its minimum to ensure that every item in the workplace is related to work resulting to effective use of space. Phase 2 Seiton (Systematize): This step involves placing everything into its designated place so that it can be accessed or retrieved, as well as returned quickly. The correct location and appropriate labeling of every document file, supply, material and equipment must be organized to correspond to the work to be performed. If everyone has quick access to an item or material, work flow becomes efficient leading to a more work productivity. Every single item must be allocated its own place for safekeeping and each location must be labeled for easy identification. Phase 3 Seiso (Sweep): Seiso means sweeping up the workplace. It is a good practice to assign the cleaning of every area of the workplace to a person or group of persons using the same. Maintaining cleanliness should be part of the daily work. Phase 4 Seiketsu (Standardize): The fourth step of "5S" more or less translates to standardized clean-up. It consists of defining the standards by which personnel must measure and maintain both personal and environmental cleanliness and orderliness. Every personnel should know what their responsibilities are to keep to the above 3S's. Phase 5 Shitsuke (Sustain): Shitsuke or Sustain refers to maintaining and reviewing standards. Once the previous 4S's have been established, they become the new normal way to manage an organized workplace. Maintaining the new way of operating and not allowing a gradual decline back to the old ways is the concept of this last phase. The emphasis of shitsuke is elimination of bad habits and constant practice of good ones. However, when a new issue arises such as a suggested improvement that will affect the 5S program, new project, new equipment or a new output requirement, then a review of the first 4S's is necessary. Footnotes * "5S Methodology" http://www.siliconfareast.com/5S.htm "The 5 'S' Process" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5S_(methodology) DHITCc