Republic of the Philippines

COMMISSION ON AUDIT
Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines

RESOLUTION NO. 2012-014

DATE : NOV 1 � 2012

SUBJECT: Guidelines for the Conduct of COA Team Building Activities (TBA)

WHEREAS, Section 31, Chapter 5 of Executive Order (E.O.) No. 292, otherwise known
as "The Administrative Code of 1987" provides that "each department or agency shall prepare a
career and personnel development plan which shall include provisions among others for
employees' health welfare, counseling, recreation and similar services;"

WHEREAS, Section 1, Rule VII of the Omnibus Rules Implementing Book V of E.O. No.
292 provides that "every official employee of the government is an asset or resource to be
valued, developed and utilized in the delivery of basic services to the public. Hence, the
development and retention of a highly competent and professional workforce in the public
service shall be the main concern of every department or agency;"

WHEREAS, the conduct of TBA as a major component of staff development activities

helps build a professional culture that will not only enhance competence and efficiency, but also
cooperation, interaction, camaraderie and socialization among officials and employees and
elimination of gender differences among the men and women of the Commission;

WHEREAS, the Ci\111 Service Commission (CSC), as the central personnel agency of the
Government, under its Resolution No. 101262 dated June 22, 2010, has authorized the conduct
of TBA in line with the aforesaid rationale;

NOW, THEREFORE, the Commission Proper has RESOLVED, as it does hereby

RESOLVE to adopt the guidelines on the conduct of TBA, herein attached and marked as
Annex "A," to be held once a year.

RESOLVED finally, that this resolution shall take effect immediately, however, for COA
Central and Regional Offices that had already conducted their TBA this year before the adoption
of this resolution, they shall be entitled to reimbursement of expenses provided that it should
not exceed the limit of P1,200.00 per participant and that the herein guidelines are complied
with.

Quezon City, Philippines.

� MENDOZA
Commissioner
 ANNEX "A"

Guidelines in the Conduct of COA Team Building Activities (TBA)

I. RATIONALE

1. To afford every COA official and employee an opportunity to undertake a staff

development activity that will enhance teamwork, and improve team
performance;

2. To eliminate gender differences among men and women of this Commission, not
only for the purpose of enhancing competence and efficiency, but also to
promote cooperation, interaction and harmonious relationship in the work place;
and

3. To provide a more relevant, responsive and rational set of parameters in the

implementation of TBA in this Commission.

II. SCOPE

The TBA shall be participated by all officials and employees of the COA Central and
Regional Offices once a year.

III. DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. Human Resource (HR) or Gender Issue- refers to a concern, challenge or

problem involving the employees that affect workplace harmony and productivity
requiring team communication and clarification, problem solving or trouble
shooting based on team building or learning teamwork skills.

2. Team Building a process consisting of series of activities or group exercises

-

designed to promote group cohesiveness and effectiveness in performing and

achieving common goals.

3. Recreation- a means of refreshing strength and spirit after work and restoring
health.

4. Relaxation - a physiological and emotional state characterized by reduced

activity, particularly reduced heart beat, perspiration , respiration and general
muscular activity.

5. Social Awareness - recognition of aesthetic values and special love and

concern for nature and the environment .

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IV. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CONDUCT OF TBA

All proposals for the conduct of the TBA shall consider the following:

1. Objectives

The objectives of the proposed TBA shall indicate the need or necessity of the
Office concerned to hold TBA in promoting workplace harmony and
organizational productivity. The objective or set of objectives should state at
least one HR and/or Gender Issue that shall be addressed by the team building
activities .

2. Team Building Design

The design should provide clear description of TBA that are appropriate to the
objectives sought to be achieved by the proponent Office. Specifically, it should
include TBA which shall be at least fifty-percent (50%) of the total allotted time
while the other fifty-percent (50%) may be devoted to relaxation, recreation
and social awareness. The said design shall also be the basis for the preparation
of the terminal report to be submitted to the Human Resource aari Management
Office (HRMO), Administration Sector. Sample of Team Building Design is
attached as Exhibit I .

3. Duration of the Activity

The activity shall not be for more than one ( 1) working day inclusive of travel
time. The Office, however, may be allowed to conduct the activity for more than
one day provided that the excess number of day/s fall/s on a weekend/holiday
and provided further that the total budget shall not exceed the allowable
amount prescribed under Item IV.4 hereof .

4. Budget Proposal

A detailed summary of expenses shall form part of the TBA design. The budget
for TBA shall be taken from the budget allotted to the Gender and Development
(GAD) . In no case shall the allocated budget exceed P1,200.00 per employee
for a one-day TBA.

5. Attendance and Skeletal Force

All employees are encouraged to participate in its Office TBA. However, for
those Offices with frontline services or critical functions, the Head of Office shall
arrange for the skeletal force to come from its own Office or other COA
Units/Offices, if necessary and practicable.

The schedule of the TBA should be submitted at the start of the year to allow
the Risk Management and Budget Office (RMBO), this Commission, to arrange
and earmark for the funding.

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6. Venue and Security

The Offices are encouraged to conduct an ocular inspection, if possible, to

assure the safety of employees. Expense for the ocular inspection should be
included in the budget estimate.

The Office shall exercise circumspect, prudence and judicious discretion in

identifying the proposed venue of the TBA mindful of the public's ethical
perception and impression. The following guideline shall be considered:

• A place that offers the most reasonable rates and facilities for TBA.

• The location need not be tourist-haven or the most popular place but it
should be one that supports the objectives of the TBA.

• If possible, the Office shall scope out different locations and identify one
that may heighten social awareness.

In case of emergency or special cases such as force majeure or fortuitous

events, an official or employee shall be considered on "official time'' on the
occasion of such event. The head of the Office or the next-in-rank official shall
immediately advise the HRMO of this development. However, if an employee
chooses to extend his/her stay in the venue or goes to another place after the
TBA, this Commission shall have no liability since this is not covered by an
Office Order.

7. Monitoring and Evaluation

The concerned Office is required to conduct an evaluation to determine the

reaction and immediate learning of the participants. A written report shall be
submitted to this Commission through the Director, HRMO within five (5)
working days after the TBA. On the other hand, the concerned Office shall
monitor the monthly performance evaluation report of the individual employees
and divisions to gauge the result from the TBA.

8. Facilitators

A resource person or facilitator may be hired from the consultancy firms duly
accredited by the Professional Development Office, in case of Central Office or
by the Administration, Training and Finance Services, in case of Regional
Offices. The resource person/facilitator may, likewise, come from within the
Office or this Commission depending on the topics to be discussed and
methodologies to be utilized in the TBA.

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9. Schedule of TBA

The TBA shall be held on the dates where no critical functions may be affected;
provided however, that the approving authority will ensure that the TBA will not
be conducted simultaneously by the offices in the Central Office.

10. No Family Members and Use of COA Buses Allowed

The official/employee shall not be allowed to bring along family member/s in

order that the focus of the participants to TBA will not be diverted. The use of
COA buses is, likewise, not allowed for TBA.

11. Penalty for Non-Participation/ Attendance

The official/employee who fails to attend any of the scheduled session shall be
required to pay a portion of the total budget allocated for him/her computed
on the basis of the percentage allocation for such particular session as shown
in the example below:

Schedule of Activities Time

6:00 to 8:00 am Travel1lme 2 hours

8:00 to 8:30 am Settling down 0. 5 hour
8 :30to 12 :00am Team Building 3. 5 hours
12:00 to 1:30pm Lunch/Break Time 1. 5 hours
1:30 to 5:00pm Social 3. 5 hours
Awareness/Recreation/
Relaxation
5:00 to 6:00 pm Dinner 1 hour
6:00 to 8:00 pm Travel1lme 2 hours

Total Hours 14 hours

------
------

Assuming that the TBA needs one day and budget allotted per employee is
P 1,2 00. 00, the failure of the employee to attend the team building session
which is 3. 5 hours of the total allotted time for the team building activities
would mean a refund of P 300. 00 as computed based on the following formula:

R = (TNHR- TNHC)/ TNHR x BAE/day

R = (14 hours- 10. 5 hours)/14 hours x P 1,2 00. 00
R = P 300. 00

Where: R =
Refund
TNHR =

TNHC =

BAE = Budget Allocated per Employee

�{
V. SOURCE OF FUNDS

The budget allocated for COA-GAD shall be the source of the funds of TBA,
which shall be provided in the annual budget of the COA and should not
exceed the limitation provided by law.

VI. PROCEDURES

1. The concerned Office shall submit to HRMO their proposal for TBA, which
shall evaluate and recommend to the COA-GAD Technical Working Group
(TWG) the request for TBA based on the requirements set under these
guidelines.

2. The COA-GAD TWG shall forward the approved TBA to the RMBO for
funding .

3. The Accounting Office and RMBO, Planning, Finance and Management

Sector (PFMS), shall facilitate the release of funds.

4. The concerned Office must submit to HRMO a report on the conduct of

TBA. The report shall highlight the following:

• How the objectives were met;

• What were the learning/insights gathered;
• The HR or Gender Issue solved;
• How will learning/sharing be applied;
• Impact of the TBA on productivity;
• The total expenditure;
• What needs improvement and what are the recommendations; and
• Participation of officials and employees.

VII. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILmES

1. Concerned COA Office shall -

• Practice economy and simplicity in undertaking TBA;

• Ensure that there is skeletal force for continuity of office operations and
non-disruption of delivery of services;
• Ensure safety and welfare of officials and employees;
• Ensure that the objectives of the TBA are achieved; and
• Submit a report to HRMO on the conduct of TBA, attaching the
attendance sheet of the participants within five (5) workings days after
the conduct of said activities.

2. The Official or Employee shall-

• Participate in all sessions of the TBA;

• Refund proportionately the amount spent by the Office for failure to
attend any of the scheduled sessions and explain in writing to the head
of Office the reason/s for non-participation; and

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 • Refund in full the actual cost paid to him/her for failure to attend the
whole TBA despite the issuance of an Office Order and expression of
the commitment to attend the activities.

3. The Administration, Training and Finance Services of the

Regional Office shall -

• Issue certification for the budget allocated to COA-GAD;

• Facilitate the release of budget for TBA upon approval by this
Commission; and
• Provide the necessary administrative support services.

4. The RMBO and Accounting Office, PFMS shall -

• Certify to the allotment availability of COA-GAD Fund; and

• Facilitate the release of funds for the TBA.

5. The Human Resource and Management Office shall -

• Evaluate and recommend approval/disapproval of request for TBA;

• Monitor TBA conducted by the concerned Office; and
• Consolidate reports submitted by the Central and Regional Offices before
the end of the year and submit comments/recommendations to the
COA Chairperson through the COA-GAD for its evaluation and
appropriate action.

VIII. EFFECTIVITY

These guidelines shall be effective immediately. However, for COA Central and
Regional Offices that have already held their TBA, they shall be entitled to
reimbursement of expenses provided that it should not exceed the limit of
P1,200.00 per participant and that the herein guidelines are complied with.

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 EXHIBIT I- SAMPLE TEAM BUILDING DESIGN

Cluster A- National Government Sector (NGS) Team Building Activity (TBA)

Theme:
"Quality SeJVice and Elimination of Gender Differences Through Teamwork"

I. RATIONALE

The new administration and filling up of vacancies in the Office created changes
in the work climate of the Cluster A-NGS employees. Thus, there is a need to
continuously provide a work culture which can make the Cluster A-NGS personnel
confident in addressing the challenges and working out ways of successfully building
synergy for quality service and elimination of gender differences. This can be
actualized through the conduct of TBA.

II. OBJECTIVES

The TBA shall provide a venue for discussing work issues and identifying group
solutions to these concerns to help the employees perform better.

Specifically, it aims to:

• Understand the vision and mission of the Cluster A-NGS in line with COA's
mission and vision;
• Develop new and review existing Cluster A-NGS standard operating
procedures (SOP); and
• Clarify the roles of men and women, tasks and relationships within the work
place.

III. PROGRAM CONTENT

The purpose of the TBA is to bring about high quality service and productivity
through clear SOP and role identifications of the men and women, and relationships
strengthening through teamwork. To carry this out, the following activities shall be
undertaken:

a. Focused group discussion on COA's mission and Cluster A-NGS Action Plan;
b. Development of new and review of existing Cluster A-NGS SOP;
c. Role identification of the men and women, and relationships strengthening
through strategies of team building;
d. Team building in action; and
e. Commitments.

IV. METHODOLOGY

Visioning, modified experiential exercises, lecture-discussion, games, workshops

are the methodologies to be used during the TBA.

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V. SCHEDULE OF ACTIVMES

DAYl OBJECTIVES J ACTIVITY METHODOLOGY

6:00am to 9:00am Travel Time

9:00am to 9:30am Settling down

9:30am to 10:00am Understand the Focused group Power point presentation

vision and mission discussion on COA's of the COA's mission and
of Cluster A-NGS in mission and Cluster vision and Strategic Plan
line with COA's A-NGS Action Plan
mission and vision Discussion on the Cluster
A-NGS Action Plan
10:00am to 11:00am Develop and review Development and 30-mins. review of existing
the Cluster A-NGS Review of Existing SOP by division as well as
SOP SOP discussion and posting of
suggested SOP

Consolidation of the
Cluster A-NGS SOP

11:00am to 12:00am Clarify the roles/ Role Identification Structured Learning

tasks and and Relationships Exercises (SLEs) to
relationships within Strengthening introduce the concept of
a team Through Strategies TBA
of Team Building

12:00noon to 1:30pm Lunch/Break Time

1:30pm to 3:30pm Clarify the roles, Team Building in SLEs to apply the concept
tasks and Action ofTBA
relationships within
a team

3:30pm to 5:00pm Enhance Games/ Socialization, Outdoor games or Group

camaraderie among Social Awareness, dynamics, City Tour, Self-
the Recreation and reflection
division/employees Relaxation

5:00pm to 6:00 pm Call to Order (pack-up)

VI. PARTICIPANT

Of the 5 5 employees of the Office, 50 will participate In the TBA. Five (5)
employees who opted not to join for personal reasons will be skeletal force to
attend to client's need .

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VII. BUDGET ESTIMATE

No. of Pax -SO pax/1 guest speaker

No. of Day/s -1 day

Estimated Expenses

Hotel Accommodation
(PSOO.OO/pax/day X SOpax X 1 day) = p 25,000.00

Transportation
Gasoline and Toll Fees = 7,500.00

Honorarium
PSOO.OO/hour x 5 hours = 2, 500.00

Supplies and materials =

3, 500 .00

Allowance for contingency (10%) = 3,850.00

Total Budget Estimate = p 42,350.00

Cost per pax= P 847.00 or say P 850.00