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PCAF Executive Director Sarah Gutierrez-Cayona shares her knowledge on the budget reforms of DBM.

The Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) conducted a Year-End Performance Review and Planning Workshop for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 on January 16-19, 2018 at the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority Convention Hall.

The event was participated in by Executive Director Sarah Gutierrez-Cayona and her deputy, together with the expanded core management committee, division and section chiefs and selected employees.

The three-day activity focused on the agency’s Planning Workshop for FY 2019 to identify gaps and challenges, and collate inputs for succeeding year’s plan.

Updates on the budget reforms and highlights of the 2019 Budget Call was presented by Budget Section Chief Jose Redentor Besenio. These reforms were introduced to support government’s policy on the full execution of budget to reduce underutilization.    

He emphasized that government agencies are required to propose programs, activities, and projects that can be fully implemented within a year. This in accordance to the Department of Budget Reforms’ (DBM) guidelines on the monthly cash management that will be implemented next year.

As such, cash utilization must be in accordance with the monthly disbursement plan. The DBM will also be shifting to a one-year implementation horizon wherein obligations must be settled within the FY of the budget.

Relative to those budget reforms, Exec. Dir. Cayona enjoined all operating units (OUs) to implement their approved work and financial plan for 2018 to achieve 100% utilization rate at the end of the year.

The agency’s 2017 physical and financial performance by programs, activities and projects (PAP) was presented by Planning, Monitoring and Knowledge Management Division (PMKMD) Chief Estrella Tulay.

For PAP 1, the agency hit 96% of the targeted number of policy recommendations. Eighty-seven percent these resolutions were endorsed to the concerned agencies and entities within the 30-calendar day period.

These policy resolutions were generated during the Advisory Special Body’s consultative meetings which resulted to more than 109% accomplishment versus the targeted number of consultations in national and local level.       

Activities that constituted the PAP 2 were the accomplishments of PMKMD. An accomplishment of 119% in terms of the number of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) reports which also resulted to 160% accomplishment for dissemination of M&E reports.

As to the conduct of M&E, all 16 Regional Agricultural and Fishery Councils (AFCs) accomplished their targeted number of M&E. Regional AFCs of Regions V, VI and VIII achieved a 200% accomplishment.

In 2017, the agency’s website, where the knowledge products are posted and updated, generated an almost 200% in terms of the number of visits. A 100% accomplishment were noted as to the number of database developed and updated.  

For PAP 3, a significant increase on the number of partnership agreements facilitated were identified resulting to almost 300% accomplishment. More than 100% accomplishment were also highlighted as to the number of stakeholder collaborations supported.

PCAF’s Division Chiefs clarify some issues and concerns during the presentation of their respective division’s plans and budget for FY 2019; (L-R) PMKMD Chief Estrella Tulay, AFMD Acting Chief Engr. Alexander Daroya, PDCD Acting Chief Julieta Opulencia and PDD Chief Elgie Namia.

Gearing towards fulfilling agency’s financial targets

After the discussion on the updates and highlights of budget reforms, PCAF’s five divisions, including the Office of Executive Director, presented their proposed plan and budget for FY 2019.

Management committees also presented their plan and budget proposal for FY 2019. It includes the senior citizen committee, gender and development, bids and awards, disposal committee, personnel selection board, performance management team, grievance committee, PRAISE and personnel development committee.

Comments and suggestion on the issues and concerns in every section’s plan and budget were taken into consideration and were noted by the Planning and Programming Section.

PMKMD Chief Tulay reminded the body that for 2019 proposed budget, OUs should bear in mind that DBM base it on 2017 actual financial performance and the 2018 budget less the non-recurring activities.

Exec. Director Cayona, on the other hand, suggested that OUs must strategize their cash utilization according to the approved plan and budget by PAP.

The output of the workshop was presented to PCAF’s stakeholders for the Joint Performance Review with the National Sectoral and Strategic Concerns Committees and the AFCs. – JD