ABSTRACT

This dissertation assesses the quality of health care and social welfare services delivery and
its relationship to workplace conditions of employees in Rizal province. The study adopted
the descriptive method of research. There were three (3) groups of respondents: mayors, vice-
mayors and councilors as the first group and employees directly involved in the delivery of
health care and social welfare services as the second group, and the public-in-contact who
actually availed these services as the third group. The major research strategies employed
were (1) quantitative and (2) qualitative analyses. Data have been collected from the findings
of the survey-questionnaires and results of series of focused-group discussions of experts in
the field. The study proves that highly bureaucratic structure remains as hindrance in public
service delivery in the Philippines following the traditional “top-down” manageralist
approach. Likewise, there is deficiency in benchmarking of best practices, weakness in
documentation and publication of performance, lack of feedback mechanisms and impact
assessment, and absence of reward system for contributors to service improvement. Though
health care and social welfare services in the province are generally accessible and non-
preferential, there is dissatisfaction of the public on the courtesy and promptness of
employees. Whereas, employees admitted to be reluctant in the performance of their duties
and responsibilities due to lack of orientation on how they will perform their tasks and the
concealment or improper dissemination of personnel actions like selection, promotion and
separation. Moreover, there are indications of discriminations in the place of work in terms of
parking spaces, assignments, career development opportunities and work areas. It is
substantiated in this study the significant relationship of the quality of health care and social
welfare services delivery and the workplace issues and conditions of employees. Therefore,
employees’ satisfaction cannot be achieved by salary adjustment alone, for a desirable
working environment is responsible for their morale, as well to the extent of the quality of the
performance delivery of the said services. However, administrators and employees thought
that the establishment of sound workplace environment in the present legal structures and
resources would be very difficult to attain. It is also imperative to observe that most of the
local chief executives and local legislators are 2nd to 4th generations of local politicians where
improvement service delivery are protracted since these officials purportedly continue those
programs and performance standards established by their kin-predecessors. The improvement
of the workplace conditions and delivery of services specifically on the insulation of politics
that leads to preferential public service was strongly suggested. By propelling changes in an
array of workplace conditions and by adopting the proposed quality improvement strategies,
delivery of health care and social welfare services had an enduring legacy in the province of
Rizal.

Biosketch

Dr. Medardo B. Bombita earned his Doctor in Public Administration from the
Polytechnic University of the Philippines (2009), where he also finished his Bachelor
in Public Administration (1999). He finished his Master in Public Administration at
University of Rizal System (2007) and studied Bachelor of Law in Arellano
University School of Law. A professor of public administration and political science
at the University of Rizal System (URS), province of Rizal, both in the collegiate
level and graduate school. Presently, he is the Coordinator of the URS Graduate
School. He is the President Emeritus of the faculty union and performs as a prolific
faculty representation in many working committees, bodies, and notable organizations
in local and national levels.