The Catanduanes State University successfully passed its first surveillance audit for its ISO 9001:2015 certification evaluated by the representatives from TUV Rheinland Philippines, Inc., on February 25. With the College of Health Sciences’ "very high passing rate" in the nursing board exam over the past two years, the auditors lauded the university’s above the national average performance. They also noted the implementation of the Quality Management System (QMS) in university documents. Meanwhile, for areas that need further improvements, the auditors made some recommendations. The audit team, led by Ms. Lynn Gerzon with auditors Ms. Mary Grace Balobalo, Ms. Jessy Jessica Rosit, Mr. Eufronio Alonzo, and Mr. Rafael Magsino, confirmed that CatSU complied with the ISO 9001:2015 standards with no major non-conformities. “The Catanduanes State University has established and maintains an effective system to ensure compliance with its policy and objectives. The audit team confirms that the organization’s management system complies with, adequately maintains and implements the requirements of the ISO 9001:2015 standard,” the lead auditor expressed. The audit began with an Opening Meeting attended by top university management and unit heads on February 24, followed by an audit to assess compliance with the certified management systems. Interviews were conducted with key officials from both Main and Panganiban campuses to verify conformance on the processes. Class observations were also carried out in colleges and laboratory schools. Joining the closing meeting were ISO Chairperson and Vice President for Administrative and Financial Affairs Engr. Benjamin Hannycel T. Nuyda, and Officer-in-Charge Dr. Roberto B. Barba, along with other officials from top management and unit heads.
CatSU Internal Audit Team Head, Engr. Rafael O. Santelices, conducted an ISO 9001:2015 training awareness session at the Accreditation Room on March 7, 2023. The aim of the training was to enhance the knowledge of the newly designated Heads of Offices and Directors regarding the fundamentals of the ISO 9001:2015 Standard.“The adoption of a quality management system is a strategic decision for an organization. In our case at CatSU, we always want to continually improve overall performance and provide quality services to our clients and stakeholders,” Engr. Santelices said.The Internal Audit Services is the university's unit responsible for facilitating opportunities to enhance the clientele's service experience. They ensure that service delivery is demonstrated in conformity to the specified quality management system requirements, based on the international standard for ISO 9001:2015. “Let us always intensify the connection and processes in organizing quality policy and adhering to the quality standards. It is in providing the best quality services that will yield excellent customer satisfaction,” Engr. Santelices emphasized.One of the participants, Prof. John Cyrus B. Francis, Director of the Office of Student Affairs and Development Services (OSADS), emphasized the significance of being aware of the intention of the ISO and being fully guided in terms of office document familiarization.“We will need to be able to identify correction-immediate action in order to solve issues and concerns on a per cause-basis. There’s the preventive action as well as corrective action, best practices to pick up in order to achieve the consistency of providing quality services to the students, very useful in my case being the office that takes charge of student affairs and development concerns,” Prof. Francis said."Ultimately, we are bound to understand the fundamentals of Quality Management Systems parallel to the State College and University (SUC) standards, and the Vision, Mission, and Developmental Goals of CatSU,” he added.Prof. Gregorio Angeles, Jr., Extension Coordinator from CatSU Panganiban Campus, recalled his learnings from the activity."The core of ISO is customer satisfaction. It is in our commitment and strong-will to continue the thrusts and efforts for improvement, and to ensure the attainment of excellence in quality management for societal advancement, that we can achieve customer satisfaction,” Prof. Angeles said. #CVecilles
To re-tool internal auditing knowledge of selected personnel and officials of the Catanduanes State University (CSU), the Internal Audit Services (IAS) Office, this University, conducted on February 5-6, 2020 the ISO 9001: 2015 Internal Auditor Course. Engr. Rafael O. Santelices, Administrative Officer V and Management Audit Analyst III of IAS was the Resource Speaker during the two-day activity in which Dr. Minerva I. Morales, SUC President III gave her message to select participants prior to seminar proper. The seminar covered the following topics: Fundamentals of Quality Management System (QMS), ISO 9001 terminologies and requirements, Auditing the ISO 9001: Principles and Techniques. Workshops were also conducted during the session concerning concepts and terminologies and understanding ISO 9001 terminologies. The participants were also exposed on workshops on Expected Objective Evidence, Role Playing, and Writing Non-Conformity Reports. Prof. Ma. Theresa E. Sarmiento, VP-AFA and ISO Chairperson expressed acknowledgment for the said initiative during her closing message on the second day.
