PCAF, with its Advisory Special Bodies (ASBs) such as National Sectoral Committees (NSCs) and Strategic Concerns Committee, and Agricultural and Fishery Councils (AFCs), conducted a review of their performances for the three quarters and identified strategies to accomplish remaining targets.

NSC Chairpersons, Regional AFC (RAFC) Chairpersons and Coordinators, Regional Executive Coordinators, PCAF officers and staff gathered on October 17-19, 2016 at the Lewis Grand Hotel, Angeles City, Pampanga to identify performance gap as well as to inform the employees and ASBs about the quality of their performances.

PCAF Officer-in-Charge Sarah Gutierrez-Cayona acknowledged the unceasing commitment and dedication of the NSCs and AFCs in pursuing an optimistic future for the agriculture and fishery sector.

“The NSCs and AFCs are important mechanisms where the government can provide the right policies, right programs and projects,” OIC Cayona said.

Accomplishments

Prior to the workshop, Estrella Tulay, Chief of Planning, Monitoring and Knowledge Management Division presented the first to third quarter accomplishment of the agency by Major Final Output (MFO).

She emphasized that out of the 324 policy resolutions/recommendations generated, only 195 or 65% were policies.

Tulay also pointed out that adoption rate of the policy recommendations target is still way off the passing rate.

“Overall, the financial and physical performance are good, but needs improvement in terms of quality,” she said.

Meanwhile, Policy Development and Coordination Division Chief, Julieta Opulencia, presented the detailed status of the resolutions passed by the NSCs, while Elgie Namia, Chief of Partnership Development Division gave updates on the resolutions generated by the AFCs.

On the other hand, PMKMD – Monitoring and Evaluation Section Chief Cyril Soliaban, reported the consolidated participatory monitoring and tracking reports covering 2015 and 2016 1st Semester.

Based on the report, production and post harvest facilities or farm mechanization projects constitute most of the projects validated, followed by Farm to Market Roads (FMRs), livelihood and irrigation facilities. In terms of cost, FMRs got the highest percentage with 46% followed by irrigation facilities, 33% and farm mechanization and post harvest facilities, 10%.

Cleofas Ventic, Chief of PMKMD – Planning and Programming Section, presented the 2017 PCAF Plan and Budget based on National Expenditure Program which totals to PhP184.937 million.

She further explained the breakdown by program, including the activities that will be pursued for next year such as the participation of AFCs in NSC meeting.

Furthermore, Jo Marie Libarnes of PMKMD-Monitoring and Evaluation Section presented the challenges such as limited support to AFCs, procurement issues on agri-fishery machineries, FMRs, and other infra and devolution of extension to LGUs, among others.

The participants proposed several strategies in resolving the challenges recognized, which includes strengthening the policy agenda setting of ASBs, organizing of the Constructors Performance Evaluation System Unit and creating of inter-sectoral task force to review the Local Government Code and propose amendments/bills, among others.

All concerns and recommendations were ably noted for future actions of concerned PCAF management and operation units.