SLSU Elevates Infrastructure Governance via CPEs Accreditation Training
Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) continues to reinforce its institutional commitment to quality infrastructure, good governance, and sustainable development through the successful conduct of the Accreditation Training for Constructors’ Performance Evaluators (CPEs) held from May 28 to 30, 2025, at the Function Room of Hotel De SLSU.
Organized by the University Planning and Development Office (UPDO), the training forms part of the University’s Strategic Development Plan 2025–2029, LUPAD: Ascending of the Mighty Kingfishers, specifically under Strategic Goal No. 4 that promotes a smart and green workplace environment. The Philippine Domestic Construction Board (PDCB), an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), served as the official training partner, providing certified resource persons to facilitate the sessions.
A total of nineteen (19) SLSU employees, all licensed engineers and/or architects, formally submitted their Application for Accreditation as Constructors’ Performance Evaluators to the PDCB. These applicants include Project Development Officers, Campus Engineers, Campus Architects, and faculty members from the Faculty of Engineering, representing various campuses of the University. This milestone marks the University’s commitment to institutional capacity-building and quality assurance in its infrastructure programs.
The accreditation training aimed to equip participants with comprehensive knowledge and technical competencies on the Constructors’ Performance Evaluation System (CPES), based on the latest guidelines approved by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and implemented by the PDCB. It also sought to develop participants’ ability to objectively evaluate construction performance in terms of workmanship, quality of materials, project timeliness, compliance with environmental and safety standards, and efficiency in resource deployment. Furthermore, the training endeavored to establish an in-house pool of accredited evaluators capable of independently conducting CPES assessments for SLSU’s infrastructure projects, thereby strengthening the University's project monitoring, contract management, and quality assurance systems. In doing so, SLSU ensures compliance with the procurement law, promotes a culture of transparency and accountability, and upholds performance excellence in infrastructure delivery.
The CPES itself is a powerful tool mandated under Section 13 of Annex E of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act). Its strategic benefits are far-reaching. CPES promotes the timely and quality completion of projects by ensuring they are delivered according to required specifications, reducing delays and costly reworks. It enables the elimination of incompetent constructors through objective and systematic evaluation and provides a centralized and credible mechanism for classifying constructors based on their actual project performance. Moreover, CPES helps prevent graft and corruption by promoting transparency and accountability, compels compliance with environmental protection and occupational safety standards, and fosters continuous improvement among local contractors, encouraging them to adopt better practices and innovate.
During the second day of training on May 29, 2025, all participants successfully passed the Individual Case Study examination. Engr. Regie B. Bero, Campus Engineer of Maasin City Campus, emerged as Top 1 with an impressive score of 99%. He was followed by Engr. Lizandro C. Bitang, a faculty member of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, who earned a rating of 98.50% as Top 2. Tied for Top 3 with a rating of 98% were Engr. Ryan A. Macuto, Project Development Officer III; Mr. Erwin P. Remojo, Administrative Officer V of Bontoc Campus; Mr. Gamebert T. Mulig, Administrative Officer V of Hinunangan Campus; and Mr. Leo A. Omamalin, Supervising Administrative Officer – Administration.
The training culminated with a practicum involving the evaluation of an actual infrastructure project, the Renovation of Old Library at the Second Floor of Administration Building at the Main Campus, and a presentation of group outputs, followed by critiquing sessions with the resource persons. In his closing message, Dr. Dewoowoogen P. Baclayon, Vice-President for Administration and Finance, emphasized the University’s proactive stance in institutionalizing CPES as a standard infrastructure monitoring tool, stating that this initiative empowers the University to take full ownership of infrastructure quality assurance and ensure that every public investment delivers its intended value.
Through this endeavor, Southern Leyte State University positions itself at the forefront of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in the Philippines in promoting infrastructure governance that is efficient, transparent, and aligned with the nation’s development agenda—while staying true to its vision of becoming a smart and green University.
This initiative also contributes to the achievement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) by integrating CPES into institutional capacity-building and technical training; SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by ensuring resilient, quality, and sustainable infrastructure development; SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) through safer and environmentally compliant public construction; SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by promoting efficiency in resource deployment and contractor performance; and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) by strengthening governance, transparency, and accountability in infrastructure delivery.
