For seven straight years, the Department of Tourism (DOT) has successfully passed the ISO 9001:2015 certification, a testament to the Department’s consistent and continuous upholding of quality management.
During the closing ceremony of this year’s re-certification process, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco emphasized the DOT’s commitment to excellence in government service.
“As this process of third-party recertification concludes, we are filled with a deep sense of relief, for one, but also optimism that with the right standards in place, the exercise of our functions is not only to the minimum level of compliance but rather to always exceed that which is expected of us, which is to deliver performance in terms of tourism for the country. And so, achieving and maintaining our ISO certification is not just a milestone for the Department of Tourism, but our commitment to serving with excellence,” the tourism chief said during the closing ceremony of the auditing process held at the DOT Central Office in Makati City, Thursday (Sept. 12). The activity was also participated in by DOT officials and officers from the regional offices via video conferencing.
“This globally recognized benchmark ensures that our processes consistently meet customer and regulatory requirements, and as we close the chapter of this audit, I wish to thank our officials, as well as the entire DOT family, for all of the work that has been put in, not just towards this audit, but really towards all of the programs and projects that we have put in place since the beginning of the Marcos Administration,” the Secretary added.
The tourism chief likewise recognized the consolidated efforts of the entire DOT, from its officials to all its employees, which made the re-certification possible again for seven consecutive years.
“Beyond any measure of opinion, are the facts that speak for themselves, very well manifested in the numbers, whether it be visitor receipts, tourism employment, or our numerous awards from globally respected tourism bodies. All of these are affirmations of the hard work and service and sacrifice of the officials, the employees, and the entire DOT,” she said.
Under Executive Order No. 605 series 2007, all departments and agencies of the Executive Branch, including all government-owned and/or controlled corporations (GOCCs) and government financial institutions (GFIs), are directed to adopt the ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management Systems as part of the implementation of a government-wide quality management program.
The DOT first earned the highly regarded certification in 2018, followed by successful third-party surveillance audits in 2019 and 2020. In 2021, the DOT passed its re-certification audit, further maintaining its high standards of service.
By 2022 and 2023, also the beginning years under the helm of Secretary Frasco, the DOT retained its certification, passing two more surveillance audits without any non-conformities.
The DOT QMS Third-Party Re-Certification Audit was conducted on September 11 and 12, 2024 by PT AJA Sertifikasi Indonesia-Philippine Representative Office, an ISO certification body.
Every year, the Department needs to undergo the QMS third-party audit to assess the compliance with the requirements of the ISO 9001:2015 standards and determine the qualification for the ISO re-certification of the DOT’s current scope and coverage, which includes issuance of accreditation of tourism enterprises, enforcement of rules and regulation of tourism enterprises; and industry manpower training and development services.
Receives state auditors' "Unmodified Opinion" yet again
Meanwhile, the DOT obtained the Commission on Audit's (COA) nod for another year of "Unmodified Opinion" on its fiscal year 2023 financial statements.
The rating is given by an auditor when the financial statements of the audited entity are reported fairly and correctly, in all material aspects without qualifications and exceptions, after being subjected to scrutiny in accordance with International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions.
The DOT also earned the same rating from state auditors in fiscal years 2022, 2020, 2019, and 2009.
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