SANGKAY: Strengthening Academic Networks through Governance, Knowledge-sharing, and Advancement for You

Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) warmly welcomed a delegation from Leyte Normal University for a benchmarking visit held on February 3, 2026, at the SLSU – Sogod Campus. Dubbed “SANGKAY: Strengthening Academic Networks through Governance, Knowledge-sharing, and Advancement for You,” the activity drew its name from the Waray-Waray word sangkay, meaning friend – a fitting symbol of collegiality, collaboration, and shared commitment to institutional excellence.

 

Prior to the formal sessions, the LNU delegation paid a courtesy call on Dr. Jude A. Duarte, President of Southern Leyte State University, underscoring the mutual respect and strong partnership between the two institutions.

 

In her welcome message, Dr. Christine Alma Mae M. Daguplo, Vice-President for Administration and Finance, emphasized the spirit behind the initiative: “Sangkay, a Waray-Waray word meaning friend, beautifully reflects the spirit of collaboration, trust, and shared purpose that brings our two institutions together today. This gathering is not merely an exchange of systems and practices, but a celebration of academic friendship and mutual growth.”

 

The benchmarking covered five critical governance and management areas:

 

 

The session was led by Mr. Leo A. Omamalin, University Planning and Development Director. He presented SLSU’s strategic interventions that resulted in a historic increase in funded capital outlay projects – from 3.3% in FY 2025 (₱29.5 million) to 20% in FY 2026 (₱199.175 million). He also highlighted the improvement in Regional Development Council VIII Tier II proposal endorsements, rising from 47% in FY 2025 to 100% in the FY 2026 budget cycle. Notably, the FY 2026 allocation is the highest since SLSU’s universityhood in 2004 and marks the first-ever capital outlay appropriation for the Maasin City Campus since its integration into the SLSU system in 2018.

 

 

 

Mr. Robin Ariel F. Sumaya, Budget Officer III, discussed university-level fiscal management, including the allocation of General Appropriations Act (GAA) and Internally Generated Funds (IGF) across campuses, and shared practical strategies to strengthen efficiency, accountability, and sound financial stewardship.

 

 

Mr. Nestnie D. Honrada, Information Technology Officer I, traced SLSU’s digital transformation journey, born of the need to address long queues, manual processes, and student fatigue during enrollment. He showcased in-house systems that now streamline processes from admission to graduation, including the Online Admission Information System, Student Information System (SIS), Clearance Management Information System (CMIS), Automated Faculty Evaluation System (AFES), SLSU Web-Based Integrated Payment Engine (SWIPE), Comprehensive Enrollment System (CIS), Automated ID Management System (AIMS), and Proximity Attendance Scanning System (PASS). These innovations earned SLSU a Special Citation from the Development Academy of the Philippines on November 11, 2025, during the Powering Productivity: Unlocking Ideas, Enabling Innovation event.

 

 

The presentation by Ms. Leonizza D. Dacut focused on SLSU’s Procurement Management Information System (PMIS), an in-house platform that streamlines procurement workflows. She also discussed SLSU’s adoption of the modernized Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (mPhilGEPS) starting FY 2026 and the role of the Procurement Monitoring Board in ensuring transparency, accountability, and timely procurement.

 

 

Ms. Jona Mae C. Espere, Planning Officer III, explained how PBB functions as a performance management tool, governance and accountability mechanism, and driver of service quality at SLSU. She shared the University’s PBB journey for FYs 2021–2022, highlighting key lessons and takeaways that strengthened institutional discipline and results-based management.

 

Each presentation was followed by an open forum where the LNU team could ask questions, exchange insights, and deepen understanding. The visit concluded with a guided tour of SLSU–Sogod Campus offices, providing LNU delegates with firsthand exposure to operational practices and service delivery systems.

 

Through SANGKAY, SLSU, and LNU, reaffirmed that benchmarking is more than comparison – it is a shared learning journey grounded in friendship, trust, and a common goal of advancing quality, responsive, and transparent higher education.