School Heads’ Managerial Competencies and Leadership Potential as Predictors of School Resource Management: A Descriptive-Correlational Study in Cotabato, Philippines

This study examined the managerial competencies and leadership potential of school heads as predictors of school resource management in selected public schools across the Divisions of Cotabato, Kidapawan City, and South Cotabato, Philippines. Employing a descriptive-correlational design, teacher-respondents evaluated their school heads on five managerial competence domains (interpersonal, social, instructional, educational, and self-management) and seven leadership potential dimensions (innovativeness, communication, adaptability, integrity, transparency, decisiveness, and transformative leadership). Resource management was assessed across human, material, and financial domains. Results revealed an overall managerial competence mean of 3.94 (Competent) and an overall leadership potential mean of 3.84 (Skillful). Resource management was generally strong (M=4.29, Highly Competent), with social competence (M=4.38) and transparency (M=4.43) as the highest-rated dimensions. Critical gaps included parent meeting scheduling (M=2.41, Less Competent), encouraging advanced education (M=2.49, Less Competent), and financial record-keeping (M=3.00, Moderately Competent). Regression analyses confirmed that educational competence negatively predicts human resource management (β=-.238**, p=.000); social competence negatively predicts financial resource management (β=-.322**, p=.000); while communication skills (t=5.608**) and transformative leadership (t=6.025**) are the strongest positive predictors of financial management. These findings underscore the need for competency-targeted leadership development programs and policy reforms anchored in the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads (PPSSH).