History of Human Resources Management in the Philippines

Pre-Spanish Occupation
Spanish Occupation (1521-1898)
American Occupation (1891-1941)
Japanese Occupation (1941-1946)
Post-War Period (1946-1971)
Martial Law Period (1971-1985)
Post Martial Law (1985-date)

Pre-Spanish Occupation
* Barter System
* No management and Labor groups
* No personnel management

Spanish Occupation
* Commerce: Manila and Spain
* Loose Business Organizations
* No management-labor relations
* Civil Code of 1889
* Rise of Reformist
- Unpaid forced labor
- Freedom from harsh and cruel employment conditions
* Minimal education

American Occupation
* Not forced and not as harsh as those in the previous foreign regime
* Far from being fair and just labor conditions
* Unionism introduced
*More schools and increased level of literacy

Japanese Occupation
* Suspension of the normal education system
* Decimate big trade, business, and industry activities
* Annihilated the management – labor relations that existed before
* Temporarily smothered union movement and labor management and personnel
management

Post War Period

1. The increasing complexity of business operations
2. In the 1950’s acceptance and recognition in private business and industry
3. The number of government regulations in labor laws promulgated in recent years
4, The growth of labor unions
5. The influx of new concepts in management

Post War Period

* Personnel Department was formally organized
* Personnel Management Association of the Phil’s
* Good Education
* Enlighten among the masses

Martial Law Period

* A parliamentary form of government
* Less proliferation of local union
* Government ban on strikes
* Ministry Labor and Employment
* Schools offering courses continued
* Human Resource Management
- Work setting and academe through literature, returning scholars, grantees,
academe and practitioners from abroad

Post Martial Law Period

* Management Labor problems
- Rebellions
- Attempt to abolish constitutional authority
- Indebtedness with international financial intermediaries
- Implementation of a land reform program
- Graft and Corruption and Foreign military bases
* Right to self-organize

Post Martial Law Period

Positive signals to unfreeze the previous and present status:
- Reinstitution of democracy
- Exercise of freedom
- Mechanisms of wider consultation
- Participative working process
- 1987 Accord in Industrial Harmony
- President’s personal role modeling

Different stages of the development of human resource management in the

Philippines
Enhancing quality, accessible, relevant, and liberating basic education services
necessitates the transformational process of the Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy
and Excellence in Human Resource Management (PRIME-HRM) in the Department of
Education (DepED). As professed by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) Chairperson
Alicia dela Rosa-Bala (2016), PRIME-HRM transforms the quality of the Philippine
bureaucracy, governance and public service delivery. Consistent to this notion, the
DepEd considers the integration of the PRIME-HRM into the basic education system not
only as a mandatory requirement but also as a transformative initiative towards building
a culture of excellence.

PRIME-HRM aims to elevate public sector HRM to a level of excellence through the
assessment, assistance, and awarding processes of HRM Systems, Practices, and
Competencies using HRM maturity level indicators that are at par with global HRM
standards (CSC PRIME-HRM Guidebook, 2016). Specifically, the program aims to: (1)
inspire agencies to transform their HRM systems to support the agency mandate; (2)
empower agencies in the performance of HRM functions; (3) promote and reward
excellent HRM practices; (4) serve as a venue for the exchange and development of
expertise in the area of HRM between and among government agencies; and, (5) serve
as a search mechanism for the best practices in HRM. The DepEd has the biggest
number of employees in the government. As of July 11, 2018 (BHROD Data), the
employees continue to increase in number in all governance levels with a total of 772,710
plus. PRIME-HRM enable the DepED employees to understand and practice HR and
institutionalize a management climate conducive to public accountability.

PRIME-HRM covers all government offices like DepED in all governance levels. It does
not only involve all Human Resource Management Officers (HRMOs) but also heads of
agencies, supervisors, and rank-and-file employees. PRIME-HRM serves as a
developmental intervention that steer the transformation of the DepED towards the
fulfillment of its mandate, vision, mission, and core values through the 4C’s of Change
(Committing to Change, Capacitating for Change, Contributing and Collaborating for
Change, and Celebrating and Continuing Change).

PRIME-HRM utilizes the maturity levels/indicators model showing progressive levels with
indicators per level for each core HRM system. These maturity levels include:
Transactional HRM (Maturity Level 1), Process-Defined HRM (Maturity Level 2),
Integrated HRM (Maturity Level 3), and Strategic HRM (Maturity Level 4). The
Competency Proficiency Levels include Level 1- Basic, Level 2-Intermediate, Level 3-
Advanced, and Level 4-Superior. The four (4) core HRM Systems consists of: (1)
recruitment, selection, and placement; (2) learning and development; (3) performance
management; and, (4) rewards and recognition. The DepED will be assessed using three
(3) lenses, like: Systems, Practices, and Competencies. The PRIME-HRM Pillars include:
(1) Recruitment, Selection and Placement – Governance, Talent Planning, Talent
Sourcing, and Talent Selection and Placement; (2) Learning and Development –
Governance, Planning and Monitoring and Evaluation, and Execution; (3) Performance
Management – Governance, Performance Planning and Commitment, Performance
Monitoring and Coaching, Performance Review and Evaluation, and Development
Planning; and, (4) Rewards and Recognition – Governance, Planning, and Execution.
According to the CSC (2016), the PRIME-HRM Stages include: assess, assist, and
award. Assessment includes both self-assessment and on-site assessment which
determine the current reality of the agency’s core HRM systems and its strengths and
opportunities for improvement. Assist enables agency to be assisted on the basis of the
identified development opportunities from the Self-Assessment Result. Award enables
the celebration and recognition of HRM systems, practices, and competencies of the
agency in the four (4) core HRM areas.

The agency will be conferred with awards depending on the maturity level achieved in at
least one or all core HRM systems, and may be given a certain degree of autonomy
through accreditation and/or deregulation.

Maturity Level 1 (Transactional HRM).

The status of the agency is “regulated” which means that the agency has not fully
demonstrated readiness in exercising delegated HR functions and needs to be subjected
to regular monitoring/assistance by the CSC. Hence, no recognition and award is yet
given.

Maturity Level 2 (Process-Defined HRM).

The state of the agency is “accredited” which implies that the agency demonstrated
readiness in exercising delegated HR functions and can be given Level II accreditation
status and enjoy certain privileges (e.g. the authority to take final action on appointments).
Certificate of Recognition for at least one core HRM system is granted. Bronze award is
given for all core HRM Systems.

Maturity Level 3 (Integrated HRM).

The agency’s status is “deregulated”. The agency has distinguished itself as “excellent”
in all or some areas of HRM and its core HRM Systems, Practices, and Competencies
have been assessed as Maturity Level 3 (Integrated). On top of the authority to take final
action on appointments, another incentive for deregulated agencies is the authority to
establish and implement their own HR mechanisms without the CSC’s prior approval.
Certificate of Recognition for at least one core HRM system is given and Silver Award is
conferred for all core HRM systems.
Maturity Level 4 (Strategic HRM).
The status of the agency is “deregulated” which indicates that the agency has
distinguished itself as “excellent” in all or at least one area of HRM and its core HRM
Systems, Practices, and Competencies have been assessed as Maturity Level 4
(Strategic). “Center of HR Excellence” is awarded to an agency which has been certified
and assessed under Maturity level 3 in all core HRM systems and has achieved Maturity
Level 4 in at least one (1) core HRM system. “Seal of HR Excellence”, the highest
recognition, is conferred when an agency has been certified and assessed under Maturity
Level 4 (Strategic HRM) in all four (4) core HRM Systems.

The CSC Change Agents play an important role in the PRIME-HRM journey of the
government agencies. Specifically, (1) the Commission promote change as being the
champion, (2) the Regional Directors reinforce quality assurance and institutionalize key
support systems and policies, (3) the assessors serves as the mirror that helps recognize
gaps, strengths and opportunities of an agency for improvement, and (4) the assistors,
as enablers, provide agencies with the tools and advice on how to improve their HRM
systems. Other than the CSC Change Agents, PRIME-HRM requires the collaborative
effort of the the public sector agencies, namely the: agency head (promoters), HRMO
(reinforcers), HR Committees (implementors), managers (movers), and rank and file
employees (enablers).
The role of HRM in new public management
For most, human resources management (HRM) is better known within the context of
private institutions. HRM generally involves proper procurement, evaluation, recruitment,
and training of job candidates or applicants. In addition to this, the HR Department is
tasked to administer and oversee benefit programs and manage employees. This is seen
every day in most private companies and is an integral part of any company’s survival
and, most especially, its success. This is how private organizations are able to find,
improve and maintain one of their most valuable resources – human resources – or what
is also called human capital. Through the application of different methods and techniques
for increased employee growth, effectiveness, and retention, many companies within the
private sector have flourished.

Within the public sector in the Philippine setting, the role of HRM, especially in local
government units (LGUs), is related to the forecasting and planning of human capital,
selection and staffing, development and training, performance management, employee
discipline, and the promotion of the productivity and welfare of each employee. All these
are vital elements to the success of any organization as HRM marshals the productive
capabilities of its employees or members. Conceivably, HRM in the public sector could
be a major influence in public sector change through the development of human capital.

Fortunately, within the last few decades, many theorists and practitioners started looking
closely at how HR strategies and theories could be used in the public sector in order to
improve the quality of public service.

In the past, the public sector delivered public services and formed its organization through
the bureaucratic hierarchy, direct control, centralization, planning and self-sufficiency. In
the 1980s, these bureaucratic concepts, with reference to Max Weber, began to be
regarded as “no longer relevant” in the present and, therefore, had to be dropped. The
emerging recommendation of numerous experts was to utilize market-based public
service management, or enterprise culture. The adaptation of these new methods was
labelled New Public Management (NPM). Under NPM, tall hierarchies are replaced with
flatter and more responsive structures; emphasis is now more on quality; customer
satisfaction is emphasized; relations to employment are changed, and result-based
management is introduced. In HR, performance-based incentives are utilized as well as
performance-related pay; and instead of fixed salaries, pay is locally determined.

In the Philippine setting, from the Civil Service Commission, the Human Resource
Management Officers (HRMOs), the Local Chief Executive (LCE), the Presiding Officer,
to the Sanggunian, different roles and responsibilities have been set in order to
disaggregate separable functions and decentralize management in order to improve
quality and performance outcomes. As service delivery in the public sector now focuses
more on quality and customer satisfaction, it is only fitting that the public sector makes
sure its employees meet the higher standards and expectations. These can be achieved
through the use of NPM strategies and concepts, particularly in the field of HRM.

However, the role of HRM in the public sector is still in a developing stage. A study done
by the Civil Service Commission in 2012 assessed the state of HRM in Civil Service in
the Philippines in terms of HR management and standards; management of records,
systems and programs; and the competency level of the HRMOs. The assessment
revealed that in terms of HRM practices (coaching and performance reviews,
identification of development needs and assessment of employee competencies, career
development, assessment of learning and development programs, and the
implementation of policies), the percentage of compliance with Civil Service policies was
low. This highlighted the need to improve monitoring and assessment strategies. Given
the significance of HRM in the public sector, it is vital that these evaluation strategies be
put in place in order to continually improve the public sector.
Given this, the connection between public management and HRM is coherent with efforts
to create a methodical response to the restructuring initiatives within the public sector.
This can be done through the achievement of operational and staff efficiencies, ultimately
affecting the sector through reductions to expenditure by the government, increased
quality of service leading to citizen and employee satisfaction.

Reference:
History of HRM. SlideShare. (n.d.). Retrieved February 20, 2022, from
https://www.slideshare.net/anasomoray/history-of-hrm

Pamis, A. (2017, September 12). The role of HRM in New Public Management. The
Manila Times. Retrieved February 20, 2022, from
https://www.manilatimes.net/2017/09/12/business/columnists-business/role-hrm-new-
public-management/350185

Arias. (2019, January 18). Prime-HRM in the DEP-ed: A transformational initiative.

DepED, Division of Malaybalay City. Retrieved February 20, 2022, from
https://www.depedmalaybalay.net/articles/prime-hrm-in-the-dep-ed-a-transformational-
initiative.html

Jayson De Vera
CED 08-601A
Elective II
Prof. Barcelona