The head, faculty and students of F.L. Vargas College in their 3-day industry exposure in different agencies in manila.

Benchmarking is a process used in management and particularly strategic management,

in which organizations evaluate various aspects of their processes in relation to best practice,
usually within their own sector. Dimensions typically measured are quality, time, and cost.
Improvements from learning mean doing things better, faster, and cheaper. This then allows
organizations to develop plans on how to adopt such best practice, usually with the aim of
increasing some aspect of performance. Benchmarking is often treated as a continuous process
in which organizations continually seek to challenge their practices.

Benchmarking has proven to be most valuable process for identifying performance

improvement areas. Measurement of best performing companies leads to identification and
implementation of "Best Practices". Benchmarking is now recognized as an essential technique
for achieving continuous improvement in specific areas. Benchmarking allows us to analyze and
improve key business processes, eliminate waste, improve performance, profitability and market
share. Benchmarkings' strength allows us to make decisions based on facts, not intuition or 'gut
feeling'. Measurement is the key, knowing where we are today and where we need to be
tomorrow; we can find out what makes some companies successful. Benchmarking is all about
looking at individual processes and functions, seeing what the 'best of the best' are doing, in
whatever industry." In the race for continual improvement, more organizations are using
benchmarking to provide an objective measurement and standard for performance.

Thus, the Florencio L. Vargas College through the initiative of the graduate school- Masters
in Public and Business Management (MPBM) organized such industry exposure. First is the,
Philippine Ports Authority (PPA)—
especially in the Manila South
Harbor and North Harbor, which is
a government-owned and
controlled corporation under the
Department of Transportation and
Communications as an attached
agency. It is responsible for
financing, management and
operations of public ports
throughout the Philippines, except
 the port of Cebu, which is
under the Cebu Ports
Authority. The speaker
discussed about the key
performance highlight
achieved by PPA in the past
years wherein there is a
consistent growth in volume
for Asian Terminal, Inc.
(ATI). For the last 3 decades
the PPA reached the
maximum volume or the
peak volume for 2018. From
2013 up to present still, there
is a continuous increase in
volume. Last March 2018,
PPA started accommodating
home boarding cruise
vessels, before, there is a
need to go to other countries
like Hong Kong and Taiwan
Had a chance to tour around the North Harbor
to experience the cruise ship
of the Philippines. But, right
now, in order to experience
the Philippines’ home boarding cruise ship, just go to air 15. Aside from the major port facilities,
there are also sub-facilities that supports two major port facilities. The Inland Clearance Depot
(ICD), Santa Mesa Container Depot and Empty Clearance Depot (ECD). After the brief highlights
about PPA, is a tour around Manila South Harbor and Manila North Harbor.

After Philippine Port Authority, is the Bureau of

Customs (BOC) which is an attached agency of the
Department of Finance. It is charged with assessing and
collecting customs revenues, curbing illicit trade and all forms
of customs fraud, and facilitating trade through an efficient
and effective customs management system. The speaker,
talked about assessing different functions of BOC. Bureau of
Customs, is considered the first and the last line of defense
in the enforcement of export control laws in the country. Its
functions are: the assessment and collection of the lawful
revenues from imported articles and all other dues, fees,
charges, fines and penalties accruing under the tariff and
customs laws; the prevention and suppression of
smuggling and other frauds upon the customs; Took a chance to take selfie
supervision and control over the entrance and clearance
of vessels and aircraft engaged in foreign commerce; the
enforcement of the
tariff and custom
laws and all other
laws, rules and
regulations relating
to the tariff and
customs
administration; the
supervision and
control over the
handling of foreign
mails arriving in the
Philippines, for the
purpose of the
collection of the
lawful duty on the
dutiable articles
thus imported and Visiting the Bureau of Customs (BOC) with other students- Alfredo Cariaga Jr., Mark John Gonzales,
the prevention of Melise Jane Udaundong, Christian Dave Guzman, Michael Patrick Pineda, and Yours Truly
smuggling (from Left to Right)
through the
medium of such
mails; supervise and control all import and export cargoes, landed or stored in piers, airports,
terminal facilities, including container yards and freight stations, for the protection of government
revenue; and exercise exclusive original jurisdiction over seizure and forfeiture cases under the
tariff and customs laws. It is also highlighted during the plenary talk the numerous achievement
of the Bureau, as the head of the collection, talked about the unending efforts of BOC to secure
and protect the import and export transactions in and out the Philippines. Furthermore, she
reiterated that not all employees of BOC are corrupt.

A perfect
blend of past
and future at
same platform,
the chaotic and
sprawling
conurbation of
Philippines,
Manila has
gained its fame
for hidden
cultural values
An opportunity to learn from the leadership skills of the Manila Mayor Francisco and traditions
“Isko” Moreno at the Manila City Hall. beneath the
modern and
populated society. The sparkling Philippine epicenter has been under the good books of
Europeans from years for successful struggle from many historical events including World War II.
The transformation process is still visible at the fabulous ruins and historical sites of Manila even
now. One of the viral mayor in the Philippines, the mayor of Metro Manila, Mayor Francisco “Isko”
Moreno, is being known because of his dedication to change Manila to peaceful environment. The
talk focused on the achievement of Manila and the lined projects of the mayor. The
implementation of such, and the procedures followed are also discussed. It is an appropriate
benchmarking for the city of Tuguegarao.

Lastly, is the Metropolitan Manila Development

Authority (MMDA), the topic concentrated on the
plans on how to minimize the traffic experiencing by
Manilaneos. The speaker talked about the available
land area in Manila which can be used to construct
infrastructure. Unfortunately, there are few available
lot, but the MMDA is planning for some ways on how
to maximize the lot available.