The DMMMSU Open University System (DOUS) conducted a three-day records management training for 20 non teaching personnel of the Department of Education Regional Office I (DepEd RO1) from July 21 to 23, 2021 at the DOUS Multipurpose Hall in the City of San Fernando, La Union.  Covered by a memorandum of agreement between DMMMSU and DepEd RO1, the said training is a customized continuing professional education (CPE) program provided by DOUS to the partner agency. 

The first training day featured Dr. Lher Verell S. Palabay, Dean of the College of Management (COM) of DMMMSU Mid La Union Campus (MLUC), as lecturer on the topics “Administrative Office Procedure and Management” and “The National Archives of the Philippines”.  The second training day comprised of two lecture-workshops conducted by Dr. Darwin T. Galleta, namely: “The Concept of Good Housekeeping in the Workplace” and “Records Digitization”.  On the final training day, Ms. Annaliza B. Legaspi, Extension Facilitator of the DMMMSU-MLUC COM, conducted the lecture-workshops on “Keyboarding and Document Processing” and “Business Report Writing” in the morning while Dr. Palabay returned in the afternoon to conduct the lecture-workshop on “E-Governance: Monitoring Records Management System”. 

The training, which was held under the Continuing Professional Education Unit of DOUS, hit the following objectives for the trainees: 1) to learn about the administrative procedures of records management and be able to control the quantity and quality of records, 2) to understand and appreciate records management best practices for both paper and electronic records, 3) to gain knowledge and skills on efficient records management and archiving using Integrated Software Applications, 4) to design a records management plan to eliminate levels of records management redundancies, 5) to understand the monitoring and controlling of a records management system, and 6) to enable participants to provide institutional accountability and timely access to information.

The DOUS training management team members were Dr. Cristita Guerra, the DOUS Executive Director; Dr. Jouie Donato, the CPED Training Chief; Dr. Jayson Madayag; Dr. Meljo Apilado; Ms. Claire Pascua; Ms. Katrina Jane Nelmida; Ms. Joy San Buenaventura; Mr. Ronan Floresca; Mr. Ronald Allan Fontanilla; and Mr. Dennis Jun Bambao.

Training team from DepEd RO1 comprised of Atty. Rhea Joy Carbonell, the Chief Administrative Officer; Dr. Juner Windel Valdez of the Human Resource Development Division and Ms. Ritchelle B. Espiritu, the Training Coordinator.

The training, which was held on-site, observed strict adherence to the protocols imposed by the IATF and the University to protect both employees and clients against the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Farlan D. Valera)