1

LAGUNA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY SINILOAN CAMPUS:

QUEST FOR QUALITY SERVICE DELIVERY

I.

INTRODUCTION
Gaining customer satisfaction is one of the key factors that help any

organization remains competitive and sustainable. The existence of social

media enables the procurer easily and fast broadcast his sentiments whether
good or bad on the particular service. This is practiced of the majority of
customers nowadays and it stands as the check to the organizations
performance. Indeed, perceived service quality, which is a conformance of
service performance to customers expectation (Radomir et al., 2012), is a
very important factor leading to customer satisfaction; in addition, customer
satisfaction results in customer loyalty and customer retention which is critical
to the sustainability of an organization.
Public Higher Education Institution as an organization is not exempted
from the scrutiny of the student-clients even though they are subsidized by
the government following the principle that education is a human right and no
longer a privilege. Moreover the 1987 Philippine Constitution guarantees
access of citizens to quality education and holds all public officials and
employees accountable to the public, that is, public office is a public trust. In
what can be categorized as an extremely intangible service sector, one way
that a university can differentiate their service offering from the competition is
through the provision of excellent service quality (Beaumont, 2012). With the

universities facing significant cuts in their funding, it is no surprise that many

are attempting to offset these cuts by charging higher tuition and other fees
for maintenance and operations so that services will not be drastically
affected. Ljiljana Kontic (2014) suggested that universities have to constantly
monitor the higher education services in order to continuous improvements.
Hence, despite the budget constraint public universities should continuously
try to fulfill their student-clients expectation and minimize the service quality
gaps and maintain their competitive advantage. Moreover, to a certain extent,
the quality of education is reflected by the level of services. Therefore, this
humble and simple work will appraise the service of Laguna State Polytechnic
University, Siniloan Campus.

II.

OBJECTIVES
This paper seeks to appraise the services provided by the Laguna

State

Polytechnic University, Siniloan Campus to the students-clients in

eleven areas: medical/dental; library; human resource management office;

research and development center; extension services; security office;
registrars office; accounting office; extension services learning resource
center; cashiers office; and office of student affairs and services with a view
of improving the quality of this academic institution against the five
dimensions of SERVQUAL (Parasaruman et al, 1988).
Specifically this paper will:

1. Evaluate and assess the current quality of work of different offices

in LSPU Siniloan Campus.
2. Determine the work values in LSPU Siniloan Campus.

III.

BACKGROUND OF THE AGENCY

Mandate and Functions

The

University

shall

primarily

provide

advanced

education,

professional, technological and vocational instruction in agriculture, fisheries,

forestry, science, engineering, industrial technologies, teacher education,
medicine, law, arts and sciences, information technology and other fields. It
shall also undertake research and extension services, and provide
progressive leadership in its areas of specialization
Vision
LSPU shall be the Center for sustainable Development, transforming
Lives and Communities.
Mission
LSPU Provides quality education through responsive instruction,
distinctive research, sustainable extension and production services for
improved quality of life towards nation-building.

Group Values

Integrity (transparency, leadership, discipline)

Professionalism (competence, collegiality, responsibility)
Innovation (creativity, initiative, industry)
Core Values
LSPU develops
S pirited
T ransparent
U pright
D isciplined
E fficient
N oble
T rustworthy
S killful
Performance Pledge
We, the members of the Faculty and Staff of the University, do pledge
and commit to:
L ead in providing quality education to the communities;
S erve motherland and humanity at all times;
P erform with utmost fairness, honesty and accountability; and
U ndertake our responsibilities in the pursuit of common goals and welfare

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT

This state institution (LSPU) started from its humble beginnings in

1952 ... it was first established as a provincial high school known as Baybay
Provincial High School, the first public high school established in the shoreline
(baybay) district of Laguna de Bay and the second in the whole Province of
Laguna. Then in 1957, by virtue of Republic Act No. 1807 on June, 1957, the
Baybay Provincial High School was converted into Baybay National
Agricultural and Vocational School (BNAVS).
BNAVS became the PACD-BVE Training Center in rice production
for American Peace Corps Volunteers. This center produced 682 graduates.
The Manpower Training Center Started to operate in the school year 19681969. BNAVS also became the pilot school for the 2-year Agricultural
Technician Curriculum, Associate in Agriculture. This started in December,
1969 with 8 enrollees.
With the passage/approval of HB 269 into law in June 1971:
Republic Act No. 6321, it converted BNAVS into Baybay National College of
Agriculture and Technology (BNCAT). BNCAT then was offering the following
courses: 1) Secondary Agriculture Curriculum; 2) Two-year Associate in
Agriculture (technical course); 3) degree courses leading to Bachelor of
Science in Agriculture (2nd Semester 1975-76), and Bachelor of Science in
Agricultural Education (First Semester 1977-78). The College was also one of
the Experimental Agricultural High Schools (EAHS) selected by the
Educational Development Projects Implementing Task Force (EDPITAF)

under Presidential Decree No. 6-A, to receive World Bank Aid in terms of
infrastructure, equipment, and staff development.
This state institution was a grantee of the Agricultural Education
Outreach Project (AEOP) from 1980 to 1983. AEOP was a research project of
the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Research
programs became more prioritized and government extension programs
became more aggressive.
On June 10, 1983 by virtue of Batas Pambansa No. 482, BNCAT
was further converted into a state college, known as the Laguna State
Polytechnic College.
From then on the Laguna State Polytechnic College grew bigger
and better, with the incumbency of Dr. Ricardo A. Wagan as the first College
President in 1986, several projects and infrastructure developments poured in
to LSPC. Among the remarkable accomplishments then were as follows:

In 1993, this state institution was designated by the Department of

Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) as one of the seven (7) Provincial
Technical Institutes of Agriculture (PTIAs) in Region IV under the Aus-AIDAGRITECH Project aimed at improving the curriculum, instructional
programs and the development of practical and applied researches.

It opened four (4) satellite campuses through Memoranda of Agreements

with the local governments; and

It integrated the following three (3) CHED-Supervised Institutions in

accordance with the Special Provision No. 2 of the CHED FY 1999 Budget
under the General Appropriations Act of 1999 or Republic Act No. 8745
and Republic Act No. 8292 "Higher Education modernization Act of 1997",
through the issuance of the following:
1. CHED Memorandum No. 18, s. 1999 entitled "Issuance of the
Implementing Guidelines on the Integration of CHED-Supervised
Institutions (CSIs) to State Universities and Colleges (SUCs)". This
integration formally took place on October 5 and 25, 1999,
respectively, to wit:

Laguna College of Arts and Trades now LSPU-Sta. Cruz

Campus located at Barangay Bubukal, Sta. Cruz, Laguna

Los Baos College of Fisheries now LSPU-Los Baos

Campus located at Barangays Malinta, Los Baos, Laguna

2. CHED Memorandum Order No. 27, s. 2000 "Issuance of

Implementing Guidelines of the Integration of CHED-Supervised
Institions (CSIs) to State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) - Phase
II". The formal turn-over ceremony took place on December 11,
2000, to wit:

San Pablo City National School of Arts and Trades now

LSPU-San Pablo City Campus located at Barangay Del
Remedio, San Pablo City

His incumbency is marked by a list of distinctive accomplishment

such as the establishment of a multi-campus State Institution; a
remarkable increase in the number of non-degree and degree curricular
programs/offerings which resulted in increased inrolment and need for
more teachers; exempted Secondary School Teachers to be transferred to
DECS per CHED-DECS joint circular, intensified rehabilitation, repair,
face-lifting of old structures and construction of new academic, research,
library, dormitory, canteen-cafeteria, sports and recreation facilities;
opened the Graduate Studies and Applied Research in its four (4)
Campuses; acquired state of the art equipment - e.g. Speech Lab.,
computers, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology Laboratory equipment, the
Tissue Culture Laboratory, HORTANOVA Green House, communication
equipment, etc. He was instrumental in the opening of the Siniloan
National High School in cooperation with Mr. Antonio Villanueva and the
Sanguniang Bayan, among others, while the Siniloan National High
School was just starting -- LSPC has shared with them their library, and
two faculty members, among others, until they acquired their own library
and faculty members.
Likewise, President Wagan opened doors to Asian neighbors
through academic and cultural exchange and complementation programs.
He has signed Memoranda of Agreements and Sisterhood Agreements
with the following: Changwon College and Changwon High School, both
from South Korea; Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry,

Socialist Republic of Vietnam where in he established the LSPC

International Language Center located at Thai Nguyen University in
Vietnam; a trifocal consortium with Akamai University, Hilo, Hawaii and
EDS-Asia and the Pacific Advance Academy, Penang, Malaysia. Being the
concurrent Regional Chairman of the PASUC-Regions IV A and B, he
spearheaded

and

registered

with

the

Securities

and

Exchange

Commission (SEC) the Jose Rizal-Jose Martin Friendship Society

between the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges in
Regions IV A and B and the Republic of Cuba.
Until finally, its conversion into a state university in 2007 by virtue
of REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9402 "AN ACT CONVERTING THE LAGUNA
STATE POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE IN THE PROVINCE OF LAGUNA
INTO A STATE UNIVERSITY, TO BE KNOWN AS THE LAGUNA STATE
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY (LSPU), AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR" during the 13th Congress. It was the result of struggle in
Congress

thru

House

Bill

No.

5953

(introduced

by

Laguna

Representatives, namely: Hon. Benjamin C. Agarao, Jr., 4th District; Hon.

Danton Q. Bueser, 3rd District of Laguna; Hon. Joaquin "Timmy" Chipeco,
2nd District; and Hon. Uliran Joaquin, 1st District.) and Senate Bill No. 293
when it received the Certificate of Urgency signed by Her Excellency
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Thus, on February 8, 2007, Republic
Act No. 9402 was approved in Congress. It was signed into law by Her
Excellency President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on March 22, 2007.

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The law became effective on April 10, 2007, that was, fifteen (15)
days after its publication in two newspapers of general circulation, e.g.
Malaya, dated March 24, 2007 and the Daily Mirror on March 26, 2007. By
operation of the new law, Dr. Ricardo A. Wagan received a new mandate
as the first University President, and LSPU-Sta. Cruz Campus in
Barangay Bubukal, Sta. Cruz, Laguna became the Main Campus.
After four years of transition period, the LSPU Board of Regents
elected and appointed the second University President on May 2, 2011 in
the person of DR. NESTOR M. DE VERA, of LSPU-Siniloan (Host)
Campus. He was the former Chief Administrative Officer of LSPU-Siniloan
Campus, the former Vice-President for Academic Affairs, former Dean of
the Graduate Studies and Applied Research, former Dean of the College
of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, former Campus Director of
LSPU-San Pablo City Campus and former Campus Director of LSPUSiniloan Campus, among his several designations. Dr. Nestor M. De Vera
bested among the four (4) contenders for LSPU Presidency. The fact that
he was the only "insider" among the four applicants for LSPU Presidency
has given him the advantage to start swiftly his duties and functions upon
his assumption into office as LSPU President on May 3, 2011. He
spearheaded the review of the Five Year Development Plan, 2007-2012 to
determine the real position of LSPU, what it has achieved and what are
those that needs to be done for another five years?

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He works toward his vision to make LSPU as "Center of

Development" transforming lives and communities through its new
Strategic Development Plan, 2012-2017 anchored on its six (6) major
initiatives, namely:
1. Comprehensive Student Welfare and Development Program
2. Community Relations Program
3. University Research and Development Program
4. Comprehensive Faculty and Staff Development Program
5. Organizational Development Program
6. Comprehensive Resource Generation and Management Program
IV.

SERVICE DELIVERY STATUS

The aforementioned six major initiatives to realize the LSPU Vision

are actually manifested in the five SERVQUAL Dimensions below.

Tangibles
1. The faculty has modern and latest equipment.
2. The appearance of the physical facilities of the faculty is attractive.
3. Staff is well dressed and neat in appearance.
4. Library has the latest literature in your area of interest.
Reliability
1. When something is promised by a certain time, it always is provided by
staff.
2. When students have problems, staff is courteous, even if not able to
help.
3. Courses are taught by highly knowledgeable professors.
4. The teaching staff respects lectures and exams schedules.
5. Faculty staff keeps accurate records.

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Responsiveness
1. Students are informed of schedules and changes in schedules in
advance.
2. Service hours of learning facilities accommodate all students
3. Faculty staff is always willing to help you.
4. Administrative staff are never too busy respond to student requests
promptly.
Assurance
1. The behavior of faculty staff instills confidence in you.
2. Students are able to trust the faculty staff.
3. Faculty staff is friendly and polite
4. Teaching staff is dependable.
Empathy
1. Faculty provide personal attention to every student
2. Professors have convenient office-hours to advise students.
3. Staff members give students individual attention.
4. Faculty has students' best interest as a major objective.
5. Faculty understands the specific needs of students.
The students appraised the delivery of services of the eleven offices
remarkably high which showed that the work value of faculty and staff was
commendable.

V.SERVICE IMPROVEMENT
Though students had positive remarks on the services rendered by the
university it should not rest on its laurels, rather it should continuously improve
and upgrade all the aspects of considered quality service through total quality
management approach, thus round the clock monitoring is a must. So much so
that faculty and staff must maintain closeness with the student-clients that they
are asked about problems and possible improvements from their point of view.
While on the part of the administration results must be shared with employees
since this may improve employees performance in delivering service quality if

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they are made aware of the results of studies of customer expectations and
complaints (Zeithaml et al., 1990).

Further, as part of the service quality

improvement programme, Lovelock and Wirtz (2011) recommend the need for
service management to provide three types of service performance reports to
assist an improvement programme: a monthly service performance update, a
quarterly service performance review and an annual service performance report.
These reports should be short and reader-friendly, focusing on key indicators and
providing easy to understand information for management to act on.

ROLANDO R. CRUZADA, JR.

DPA STUDENT (SERVICE MANAGEMENT)
URSP