“We need to work harder and work as a team.”

This is the appeal of Executive Director Ariel Cayanan as he addressed more than 100 PCAF staff during the agency’s 2016 General Assembly (GA) on January 06 at the New Conference Room of the Department of Agriculture- National Agriculture and Fishery Council (NAFC) – Livestock Development Council (LDC) Building.

One year after the physical consolidation of NAFC and LDC, working under PCAF, Dir. Cayanan lauded the whole agency for working as one and accomplishing the mandated deliverables or the Major Final Output (MFO).

However, he also stressed that there is a need for necessary improvements.

“Like what we have discussed in our mid-year performance, we have to ensure that the resolutions are really policy resolutions and not just any resolution,” Dir. Cayanan emphasized.

To address this concern, Dir. Cayanan clearly instructed that all Operating Units (OUs) should review and analyze their work plan and budget to determine if there are gaps in the plan.

Part of the 2016 directives is the preparation of the 2017 plan and budget proposal. The director also mentioned that a detailed breakdown of costs per activity and object of expenditures are required.

On the other hand, as part of the 2016 Work Plan and Budget Implementation, Dir. Cayanan said that all OUs should observe strict adherence on the monthly deliverables as indicated in each respective work plan and monthly disbursement program.

Among the topics that were discussed were details on the participatory monitoring and tracking; report submission; schedule of meetings and activities, streamlining processes, and filling of vacant positions and enforcement of the Civil Service Commission rules and regulations.

Meanwhile, PMKMD Chief Estrella Tulay also presented the agency’s work plan and budget which will be implemented this 2016.

She also reminded everyone that PCAF through its mandates primarily, contributes to the Key Result Area (KRA) 1, which are transparency, accountability and participatory governance based on President Benigno Aquino’s social contract to the Filipino people.

The PMKMD chief reiterated that the KRA is essential in determining the MFO of PCAF which is Agriculture and Fishery Policy Services. Under the MFO, PCAF has three Program, Activity and Projects (PAPs): Development and Coordination of Agriculture and Fishery Policies; the Planning, Monitoring and Knowledge Management, and Partnership Development.

Some of the activities prepared for 2016 under the PAP 1 were regular consultation meetings of the AFCs and the NSCs; Areawide Policy Dialogues and National Sectoral Fora, and Policy Studies.

Also, the PAP 2 activities were Agency and Joint PCAF, NSC and AFC planning and performance review workshops; PCAF Monitoring of programs and projects AFMA, Evaluative Study, the preparation of knowledge products and “Kapihan” sessions for exchange and sharing of knowledge and learning within PCAF, between and among its partners and stakeholders.

Lastly, some of the PAP 3 activities that are in store for PCAF partners and stakeholders are the Search for Outstanding AFC Chairpersons and Coordinators; National Agriculture and Fishery Volunteers’ Day; Gender and Development client focused activities, and Monitoring of AFC operations.

For the fiscal year 2016, the Department of Budget and Management has recommended PCAF a proposed regular budget of PhP171.206 million which is 0.9% higher than the 2015 regular budget of PhP169.636 million.

PCAF’s budget is divided to Personal Services, Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses, Financial Expenses and Retirement and Life Insurance Premiums.

The proposal aims to provide for the operations of PCAF and its networks of consultative bodies at the national, regional, provincial and partly at the municipal levels in order to effectively carry out its mandates.