1^st QUARTER PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW  and

 MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING

April 11-12, 2016

Director’s Conference Room – BPI Malate, Manila

 

DA Assistant Secretary for Planning and Project Development and BPI OIC Director, Atty. Paz J. Benavidez II opens the 1^st Quarter Program Implementation Review (PIR) with members of the management committee in attendance.  PIR aims to calculate the performance, evaluate the accomplishments, identify bottlenecks, address issues and concerns to reach common solution and replicate good points from other programs. She also congratulated Dante V. Fidel for his much deserved appointment as the PhilFIDA Executive Director and welcomed him as the Acting Assistant Director of BPI through a Special Order.

Asec. Benavidez who is instrumental in obtaining additional budget particularly for PQS and PPSSD advised that they utilize the funds properly. She shared news on her recent trip to Russia to discuss exportation of fruits and vegetables following Russia’s ban on all food imports from the United States and on fruit and vegetables from the European Union. Asec. Benavidez  will also attend AVRDC event in Taiwan and Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture consultation in Bangkok this month. There are investors interested to put up greenhouse and introduce blueberry farming in the country from Korea and Canada respectively.  

Program review started with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) programs which were implemented on the 1^st quarter. Core Program, Organic Agriculture and Corn programs, the Bureau’s obligation and disbursement were also presented.  It was reiterated that physical and financial targets should be achieved by all operating units. Congestions were identified and addressed. BAC, complying with procurement procedures needs to make the process quick and efficient. End users must be ready during clarifications and be able to submit justification if needed.

The Rice Program accomplishment pulled the Bureau’s performance in the 1^st Quarter.  High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) presented its accomplishment and Assistant Director for HVCDP Jennifer Remoquillo identified bottlenecks and recommended solutions to solve the difficulties. Director Vivencio Mamaril cited administrative and technical reasons that caused delay and the possible solutions to accomplish the target in the next quarter which were agreed with the concerned operating units and Centers.

During the ManCom meeting, the body discussed the Auditor’s recommendation on flights, travel expense allowance and reimbursements and pending positions for approval by DBM among others. Completed researches for commercialization and application are now being evaluated. While amendments to the guidelines of Administrative Order for the accreditation of seed testing laboratories will be prioritized.  

Asec. Benavidez announced that BPI commissioned Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) to craft the Bureau’s organizational assessment and formulate a 6-year strategic action plan which will be launched in the 2017 BPI anniversary.  It will be a whole year of activities that composed of surveys, planning, validation, and evaluation and formulation workshops to evaluate organizational capacity and organize performance assessment.

Several issues and concerns were raised. Guidelines in accreditation of tissue culture laboratories will be  reviewed. The DA Biotech will conduct capacity and capability survey to all DA agencies doing R&D and regulations on Biotech. Dir. Vivencio Mamaril requested the full cooperation in responding to survey so that they may acquire baseline information and determine support that it can give on matters of biotechnology. Securing insurance for BPI properties, deeds of assignment concerning BPI domains will be prioritized. CPMD Chief, Ms. Wilma Cuaterno informed that a cassava virus has been detected in Bangladesh. PQS shall exercise diligence to prevent the virus from entering the country. And the training for the procurement coordinators is being arranged.

Asec. Benavidez thanked everyone for attending and sharing their inputs. She is looking forward to the completion of BPI Strategic Plan 2017-2022.

As our Planning and Management Office quotes : "Always plan ahead, it wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark"