The Program

The Philippines is a founding member of the Asian Productivity Organization (APO), which was established on 11 May 1961 as a regional, intergovernmental organization whose mission is “to contribute to the sustainable socio-economic development of Asia and the Pacific through enhancing productivity.”

The Development Academy of the Philippines-Productivity and Development Center (DAP-PDC) became the focal organization (and the designated National Productivity Organization or NPO) mandated to carry out the government’s commitments to the APO by virtue of Presidential Decree 205 issued on 23 June 1973, which created the DAP and also transferred the PDC’s roles, functions and budget from the National Economic Council (now the National Economic and Development Authority) to the DAP.

To fulfill the country’s commitments to the Asian Productivity Organization, the Philippine government provides annual budgetary support through the General Appropriations Act (GAA). Per the GAA, the budget item consists of:

a) The Regular Budget, which is a provision for the APO Membership Contribution; and

b) Support to the Productivity and Development Center (PDC).

Support to the PDC goes towards the funding for international conferences, workshops, training courses, research programs, bilateral cooperation meetings, digital learning courses, observational study missions, and other activities undertaken in the country for the benefit of the Philippines and other APO member countries. The projects and activities are focused on the areas of public sector productivity, good governance, green productivity, and national productivity and competitiveness including gender equality and women empowerment. It also funds the administrative and liaison work with the APO Secretariat and other NPOs from the other 20 active member economies.

Benefits

To address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippines will continue to pursue and implement projects and initiatives with the APO to support SMEs and other vulnerable sectors through technical assistance and trainings. With economies opening up, face-to-face trainings will start to resume, along with virtual and hybrid implementations. The Philippines will continue to be an active and relevant member of the APO by hosting multi-country projects and in-country projects. 

There are significant benefits to hosting projects by the Philippines (whether face-to-face or online); to sending Filipinos, both women and men from the public and private sectors, to participate in capability building projects; and to attending ministerial, planning and working group meetings. There would be transfer of knowledge and best practices on productivity promotion, as well as on various productivity improvement tools, technologies, international standards, and management practices (in SMEs, public sector organizations, Higher Education Institutions/Academia, and NGOs). The beneficiaries of APO projects are from various sectors regardless of sex, race and ethnicity. Women and girl children indirectly benefit from the improved capacities of organizations and institutions (such as DSWD, DILG, PCW, CDA, and NYC) that implement development projects for the larger society.

Professional networks with other participants and experts would also be established. The network of APO experts both foreign and local can be tapped to implement various productivity and quality improvement, and gender equality and women empowerment projects. There is sufficient allocation to fund the deputation of such technical experts through APO Technical Expert Services and other in-country project windows. Moreover, the country would be promoted as an ideal tourist destination and MICE venue, thus contributing to revenue generation of the economy. 

For 2025, the program has the following projects lined up:

• 49 multi-country projects (scholarship trainings)

• 11 research projects

• 15 project hostings (4 multi-country, 7 TES, 1 BCN, 1 DMP, 1 IOSM, 1 SNP)

• 10 digital courses (self-learning)

• 3 in-country projects (AWD, CBD, VSN) 

An estimated 1,052 women and men professionals from the public and private sectors are expected to benefit from these capability building projects, composed of a diverse type: policymakers, senior management representatives, middle managers, technical consultants, scientists, academics/educators, development workers and researchers.