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50th Workshop Meeting of Heads of NPOs
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Closing Remarks of Secretary-General
by Shigeo Takenaka
APO Secretary-General
Mr. Chairman and Distinguished Delegates:
As I said at the onset of my statement on the opening day, this WSM was required to confirm arrangements and schedules for 2010 program plans and to review and confirm lists of priority for projects proposed for 2011 and 2012. For the 2010 projects, almost all of the planned projects now have specific dates of implementation, and the few undecided ones have at least indicative time frames. We may need to make some adjustments on the actual number of projects to be carried out depending on the surplus available at the end of the year. This aside, there was no mistaking that member countries demonstrated their preparedness and firm commitment to host the projects assigned to them, for which I am truly grateful and encouraged. On the part of the Secretariat, we will strive to maintain the maximum number of projects possible for next year.
For the 2011 and 2012 projects, the prioritization exercise went without any major hiccups. Member countries were generally supportive of the prioritization criteria developed by the Secretariat, and the proposed lists of priority projects for 2011 and 2012 were endorsed in principle by all. The Secretariat will need to fine-tune and make the necessary modifications taking into account the suggestions and advice expressed at the meeting before submitting a revised list to the Governing Body Meeting in April 2010. Barring this, our prioritization exercise at the present WSM, which we did for the second time after the first one in 2007 in Hanoi, has helped to stabilize the biennial budgeting system. I believe that this is an important achievement and I would like to credit it to your active participation and unfailing support and cooperation.
Our deliberations also gave us plenty food for thought. We received a number of new ideas. To mention a few, we received suggestions to pursue “service innovation,” while some others including our keynote speaker Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita passionately restated the importance of promoting “public-sector productivity.” The idea for “human-centered productivity” was also brought up for our attention. I thank the delegates for sharing their enthusiasm for deepening and widening our productivity endeavors, and the Secretariat will carefully study how we may translate this wealth of ideas into tangible programs for the benefits of member countries.
From the deliberations, I also noted the many expectations expressed by the delegates. On the roles of the APO in relation to its coming golden jubilee, the country reports by the delegates unanimously confirmed that the APO should continue, and in fact expand, the current roles assigned to it of think tank, institution builder, catalyst, information clearinghouse, and regional advisor. The APO’s role in facilitating the institutional capacity building of NPOs received overwhelming support. The delegates also emphasized the importance of the APO’s think tank function and they are looking forward to greater contributions through more robust research activities.
In the first role, the Secretariat continues to make improvements and innovations in the contents, methodology, and deliveries of projects. Our program officers reported to you the latest progress in this field in the form of two-tiered projects and in-country programs for development of productivity practitioners, among others. The Secretariat is firmly committed to accomplishing more. In terms of the second role, marked improvements are visible in the productivity databook and measurement areas, but the Secretariat recognizes that there is much room for improvement in other areas. We are resolved to strengthen research activities.
I must stress, however, that our resources are not unlimited, and hence the Secretariat may not be able to meet all the requests and needs that the delegates desired. At this juncture, my hope is for the Governing Body to recognize and share the focus and priorities that we have identified for 2011 and 2012 and to approve the required budget so that we may push ahead with the program plans developed at this meeting. Let us remain hopeful that we will achieve this objective at the coming GBM next April and I count on your support to convey this expectation to your governments.
In closing, I would like to thank the Government of the Republic of the Philippines for its generosity and support in hosting this WSM. My sincere appreciation is also due to the Chair and Vice Chair and to the Committee Chairs and Rapporteurs for their smooth facilitation that enabled fruitful deliberations and a satisfactory conclusion to this meeting. My very special thanks go to Mr. Antonio D. Kalaw, Jr., President of the Development Academy of the Philippines, not only for the very effective leadership he exercised during the sessions but also for his many extra efforts to make our meeting a great success. Securing the presence of the highest-ranking member of the Cabinet to inaugurate and deliver the keynote address for our meeting was no small feat. I would also like to express my sincere thanks to the friendly, ever cheerful DAP staff members who made our stay in Manila pleasant and memorable. I believe that it is safe to conclude that not even the threat of foul weather could dampen the warm hospitality of our Filipino hosts. Last but not least, I thank the Secretariat staff members for their hard work to ensure that all the preparations and work relating to the meeting were done according to schedule.
I wish everyone a safe journey home. Thank you.