As part of the continuous effort for financial discipline, the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) piloted a consultation meeting with Regional Accountants, Bookkeepers and the Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC) Coordinators.

The activity aimed to formulate a uniform list of needed documents to be submitted as attachment to the claims charged against the Fund Transfer of PCAF. It was conducted on September 5-7, 2017 at Apacible Conference Hall, DA Compound in Quezon City.

Fund transfer refers to the amount provided by PCAF for monitoring and consultation activities of the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office and the Regional AFC. It is covered with Memorandum of Agreements (MOA) where provisions on what to do with the fund and how to spend such amount are incorporated.  

On her message, PCAF Executive Director Sarah Gutierrez-Cayona emphasized that the gathering will resolve the discrepancies on the book of accounting records per region and consolidation of records on the status of liquidation and the return of unspent Fund Transfer, if any, by the end of the year as per stated in the MOA.

The Administrative, Financial and Management Division (AFMD) Accounting Section facilitated the meeting proper. Fidelia de Asis-Andres, AFMD OIC-Chief stressed that PCAF wanted to have a regular annual meeting with regional accountants for record reconciliation but instead a periodic visit to all regions were being done.

Thus, the importance of the conduct of this activity to have shared knowledge and experiences on the utilization/liquidation of Fund Transfer.

Accounting Section Chief Ma. Divina Gonzales led in the reconciliation of the status of Fund Transfer and the outstanding balances per region. Regional accountants submitted needed documents and clarified inconsistencies of their record.

The three-day event served as an avenue for all regional Accountants, Bookkeepers as well as the regional AFC Coordinators to voice out issues and concerns on accounting and financial matters.

Towards the end of the activity, AFMD OIC-Chief de Asis-Andres, Accounting Chief Gonzales and the regional accountants come up with a recommendation for a standardized policy on the submission of required documents.

Also, unanimously agreed was the compliance of disbursement/liquidation report on the status of Fund Transfer and the outstanding balances per region on or before October 31, 2017. PCAF Accounting Section will provide status report of Fund Transfer per region for their reference. – JD