The Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) led a back-to-back Fiscal Year 2023 National Agricultural and Fisheries Machinery Assemblers, Manufacturers, Importers, Distributors and Dealers Accreditation and Classification (NAMDAC) and Constructors’ Performance Evaluation System (CPES) Midyear Performance Review on July 18 and 20, 2023 in Palawan.

PCAF Executive Director Nestor Domenden opened the programs by highlighting the contributions of the NAMDAC Board and the CPES implementation in the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) procurement processes related to agri-fishery machineries and infrastructures.

On July 18, more than 80 agri-fishery machinery suppliers, along with representatives from various DA Bureaus, Attached Agencies, and Regional Field Offices (RFOs), joined the NAMDAC midyear performance review onsite and online.

Engr. Francia Macalintal, Chief of PCAF’s Policy Development and Coordination Division, also discussed the rationale behind the institutionalization of the NAMDAC Board in 2018.

“Ang ultimate goal ng NAMDAC ay mawala ang ‘fly-by-night suppliers’, ensuring na legitimate suppliers ang makakapag-participate sa bidding at na maibibigay nila ang kaukulang after-sales services. Goal din ng NAMDAC na mabigyan ng chance ang small-scale suppliers na ma-upgrade ang kanilang accreditation at makapag-participate sa joint ventures with large-scale suppliers,” Engr. Macalintal explained.

Engr. Nerio Antonio Sibulo II of the NAMDAC Board reported that as of June 30, 2023, they have accredited a total of 128 suppliers out of the 181 received and reviewed applications.

To completely eliminate ‘fly-by-night suppliers’, the participants agreed that the revocation of blacklisting shall not be automatic upon completion of the blacklisting period, and shall be subjected to the NAMDAC Board’s deliberation. 

Moreover, suppliers with revoked or suspended Certificate of Accreditation status and those currently blacklisted by the Government Procurement Policy Board shall also be uploaded and readily accessible in the PCAF Website.

Following the FY 2023 NAMDAC Midyear Performance Review, nearly 50 Constructors’ Performance Evaluators (CPEs) from the DA-RFOs and representatives from construction companies and DA Implementing Agencies convened online and onsite for the CPES Midyear Performance Review on July 20.

As the DA-CPES Implementing Unit (IU), the PCAF organized the activity to provide updates on the CPES implementation, as well as discuss the standardization of infrastructure projects monitoring forms and the minimum test requirements for agri-fisheries infrastructure projects.

“Simula ng maitatag ang CPES noong 2019, malaki na ang naitulong nito sa “check and balance” sa implementasyon ng mga proyekto sa imprastraktura ng Kagawaran. Sa katunayan, hindi lang mga beneficiaries natin ang natutuwa sa resulta ng CPES, maging ang mga AFC natin na direct o indirect recipients at kasama during evaluation,” Dir. Domenden said.

Engr. Mara Segreid Bustos of PCAF’s Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization and Infrastructure Support Section reported that as of June 30, 2023, 77 DA agri-infrastructure projects nationwide had already been subjected to the CPES. There are also 185 active DA engineers, accredited by the Philippine Domestic Board, who conduct the CPES.

In line with this, Engr. Bustos shared that almost half of the constructors evaluated in the first semester of 2023 got a very satisfactory rating, while 60% of the infrastructure projects gained a satisfactory rating.

In its efforts to inspire and intensify the conduct of CPES nationwide, PCAF also recognized the most active CPEs and regions.

Also attending onsite is Atty. Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra, DA Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs and Department Legislative Liaison Officer, in concurrent capacity as Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority OIC Director. | JCL