The Benguet State University - Human Resource Development Office (BSU-HRDO) in collaboration with the National Archives of the Philippines (NAP) organized a two-day seminar titled “Streamlining Management and Administration of Records for Transparent (SMART) Archiving.” The event, held at the International Relations Office Hall on August 29-30 2024, was attended by various BSU offices. The seminar aimed to enhance the participants' knowledge on the principles of records and archiving.

On the first day of the seminar, VP for Administration and Finance Allan C. Sacpa emphasized the significance of the seminar. He mentioned that the knowledge gained will help improve the university's record-keeping.

“Please apply it [learnings] for the betterment of the records system of the university. Help us organize and manage our records,” Sacpa said.

Andres Arnold Lampacan, officer-in-charge of the Office of the President,  delivered a message emphasizing the importance of maintaining the integrity and security of documents.

Senior Records Management Analyst of the Record Management Services Division of NAP Jose Domingo M. Barola, discussed records management, covering the records and archives management program (RAMP) and records creation and control.

Barola discussed the NAP Act of 2007 (RA No. 9470), which protects, preserves, conserves, and promotes records. He reiterated that any person who destroys public records violating the act will be subject to fines ranging from 500,000.00 to 1,000,000.00 or imprisonment from five to 15 years or both fine and imprisonment.

This was followed by Jhoana Marie M. Ong, Senior Records Management Analyst of the Records Center Division of NAP, who talked about Records Maintenance and Use, Mail Management, and Files Management. She discussed the responsibilities of records personnel in maintaining records, as well as the different types of filing systems.

As per filing of records, Ong mentioned that one of the types of filing is the Functional Subject Alphabetic Classification System (FSACS) alongside alphabetic, numeric, chronological, and function filing.

FSACS is prescribed by the NAP which organizes documents including electronic records into function and organizational activities, alphabetically.

On the second day, Marvin Erwin M. Supan, NAP Records Management Analyst II, discussed the records disposition processes and the steps for disposing of files and presented the retention periods for records.

Supan presented problems in filing records as some may not be organized. He encouraged participants to fix their records for easier tracking.

For the disposition of files, he presented that it shall follow the RDS and as per the act, no disposal shall be made if there is no approval of the NAP.

Next, Patrick T. Woods, a Records Management Analyst of the Record Center Division of NAP, discussed records center administration, archives administration, and security of records. He elaborated on the record center operations, objectives of archives administration, and the facility requirements for implementing a record and archiving centers.

He also mentioned to protect records from hazards which are man-made, environmental, and natural causes.

The seminar included a workshop for the participants to apply what have been learned. The participants organized their office records based on the discussed filing system and presented their outputs afterwards.

The seminar ended with a message from Matias C. Angiwan Jr., BSU Chief Administration Officer for the Administrative Services Division. Angiwan expressed his gratitude to the NAP personnel for their time and knowledge shared during the seminar. He also looked forward to the implementation of what the participants have learned.//BTayaban