The University of Northern Philippines, through its Quality Management Office (QMO), launched its 2026 Management Review on September 14 at Tadena Hall, bringing together process owners, Internal Quality Auditors (IQA), and key members of the University community in a five-day assessment aimed at strengthening institutional processes, sustaining quality standards, and driving continuous improvement across the University. The activity runs through September 18, 2026.
The Management Review is part of the University’s continuing efforts to strengthen its Quality Management System (QMS) and prepare for the upcoming ISO external audit. It provides an avenue to review the University’s processes, internal audit findings, performance, issues, concerns, accomplishments, and opportunities for improvement, and to determine appropriate actions moving forward.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Rolando Navarro, Vice President for Academic Affairs, emphasized that the Management Review is more than a routine institutional activity.
“A Management Review is more than a regular institutional activity. It is an opportunity for all of us to pause, look back at what we have accomplished, assess where we are today, and more importantly, determine where we want our university to be in the years ahead.”
Dr. Navarro stressed that institutional excellence should not be measured solely through awards, accomplishments, or compliance with standards. Rather, it is demonstrated through the University’s ability to learn from experience, respond to challenges, improve its processes, and consistently deliver quality services.
He also encouraged participants to approach the review with openness, honesty, and shared responsibility, emphasizing the importance of looking beyond individual offices and functions and seeing UNP as one organization united by a common vision and purpose.
For Dr. Erwin Cadorna, University President, the Management Review should serve as a platform for honest assessment and meaningful improvement, rather than an exercise in assigning blame or merely complying with requirements.
Dr. Cadorna’s message highlights the shared responsibility of management, process owners, IQAs, and the QMO in maintaining an effective QMS. Internal audit findings are not simply items to be closed before an external audit; they provide evidence that can help the University identify weaknesses, improve processes, and strengthen its systems.
“It is not an occasion to look for people to blame. It is an opportunity to look honestly at our systems so that we can make them better. Our quality management systems must therefore be more than documents. Our policies must be more requirements.
Dr. Cadorda also reminded the University that its QMS must be meaningful in actual operations.
Our procedures must work for everyone. These findings we will hear today are not [only about compliance], but I hope we will not stop at compliance.
He added: “Our policies must be more requirements. Our procedures must work for everyone.”
These remarks highlight the difference between documented compliance and an effective quality system. Policies and procedures should not exist merely because they are required by a standard. They must work in practice, support personnel, improve services, and contribute to better institutional outcomes.
The Management Review therefore becomes an opportunity to determine whether the University’s systems are actually functioning as intended and whether identified gaps are being addressed effectively.
The Management Review therefore provides process owners with an opportunity to discuss audit findings, clarify issues, identify appropriate actions, and ensure that corrective measures are implemented. At the same time, the IQAs play an important role in providing objective assessment and evidence on the effectiveness and implementation of university processes.
Spearheaded by the Quality Management Office headed by Dr. Eva Marie Avila, the five-day Management Review brings together process owners and IQAs to examine the University’s QMS, discuss internal audit findings, and identify actions necessary to strengthen institutional processes.
As UNP prepares for its ISO external audit, the activity provides an important opportunity to address identified issues proactively and ensure that corrective actions result in meaningful and sustainable improvements.
Ultimately, the 2026 Management Review goes beyond preparation for an external audit. It reinforces UNP’s commitment to a quality culture where findings become opportunities, recommendations lead to action, and quality becomes everyone’s responsibility.
