October marks a significant period for the Department of Budget and Management Region XIII (DBM RO XIII) as it delved into the various initiatives, strategies, activities and engagements to enhance fiscal responsibility, transparency, and efficiency of its internal financial management and of its client agencies.

Elevating Knowledge

• The Public Financial Management Competency Programs – Budgeting and Performance Track equipped its participants in various planning and budgeting concepts and deepen their appreciation of the budget planning linkage. Ms. Desiree G. Ruben, BMS II and Mr. Neljun M. Catindin, AO III participated in this training program to further enrich their knowledge on the macroeconomic and fiscal dimensions of budgeting.
• Elisa E. Pajaro, Supervising BMS, also attended the CY 2024 Gender and Development (GAD) Planning and Budgeting (GPB) conducted by the Administrative Service-Human Resource Development Division (AS-HRDD), in collaboration with the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW). The main output of the said activity was the CY 2024 GPB in which the participants were able to consolidate for the Department-wide GPB.
• Moreover, Ms.Judi Acdal, Supervising Administrative Officer, also joined the Workplace Wellness conducted by the Civil Service Commission – Civil Service Institute (CSC-CSI). This learning and development program is designed to provide concepts, theories, tools and strategies on how participants will support employee wellness in the organization. Ms. Acdal is currently developing a workplace wellness program for a healthy and productive DBM RO XIII workforce.
• In an impressive display of knowledge and acumen, the DBM RO XIII, as represented by Caryl Mae S. Lusterio, Budget and Management Specialist I, and Katherine Mae O. Tacubao, Administrative Assistant III, made its mark at the 16th Inter-Agency/Local Government Unit (LGU) Statistics Quiz with the theme ““Accelerating Progress: Promoting Data and Statistics for Healthy Philippines”. The event, held at the Watergate Hotel, J. Rosales Avenue, Butuan City, showcased the department's prowess in statistics. The duo clinched third place out of twenty-eight (28) participating agencies.

DBM RO XIII's active participation in events such as this reaffirms its commitment to good governance and fiscal responsibility. The recognition and rewards they received are not just a reflection of their dedication, but also an endorsement of their agency's commitment to using data to make informed, responsible, and transparent decisions for the benefit of the Filipino people.

Amplifying Engagements

• FDU Meetings

The Full Time Delivery Unit (FDU) Team of the DBM Regional Office held its quarterly meeting with the Department of Health and its Retained Hospitals as well as the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority to discuss issues, concerns and bottlenecks in the implementation and execution of its programs, projects and activities.

Dir. Jerry G. Tizon, J. D., Regional Director of TESDA Caraga  expressed his appreciation for the conduct of the meeting to be able to discuss strategies for effective budget management, disbursement and execution. The agency's commitment to continuous development demonstrates its dedication to excellence and efficient resource allocation.

Fostering Partnerships

• Local Budget Officers in Key Coordination Meeting

On October 5, 2023, DBM RO XIII convened a crucial coordination meeting with the presidents of the Local League of Budget Officers and the Provincial Budget Officers in the Caraga Region. The gathering aimed to discuss upcoming activities designed to enhance the effectiveness of local government units (LGUs):

1. Validation of the implementation of the Public Financial Management Improvement Plan (PFMIP), a strategy aimed at strengthening the public financial management of LGUs;
2. Roll-out of the 2023 edition of the Budget Operations Manual for LGUs;
3. Proposed capacity building activities for newly elected barangay officials and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials.
4. "OGPinas Regional Advocacy Campaign for LGUs," slated to take place on November 24, 2023, in Davao City;
5. Plans for the Public Financial Management (PFM) Competency Program for LGUs, set for fiscal year 2024; and
6. Mindanao League of Local Budget Officers, Inc. (MLLBO) Annual Convention

The meeting represented DBM's commitment to strengthening the capacity of LGUs in Caraga Region and Mindanao. Through these initiatives, the DBM is working to ensure that public funds are managed effectively and transparently, ultimately delivering better services to the Filipino people.

• Procurement Service – Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) Annual Depot Assessment

ARD Jenneth C. Partosa and PS Depot Staff were invited to attend the week-long celebration of its 45^th Anniversary and the 15^th Annual Depot Assessment last October 19-20, 2023. The event aimed to set priorities, focus energy and resources and strengthen operations and ensure that employees and other stakeholders are working toward the common goal of PS-DBM.

• Mindanao League of Local Budget Officers, Inc. (MLLBO) Annual Convention

The MLLBO Officers, in coordination with the DBM Regional Offices-Mindanao Area and Local Budget Officers were gathered last October 24-27, 2023 in Cagayan de Oro City for its CY 2023 MLLBO Annual Convention and Seminar. This year’s theme is “Empowering Mindanao and Uniting Local Governments for Sustainable National Development Through Digital Transformation” centers on capacitating and enabling LGU’s to ensure sound public financial management and adapt to the fast-changing and technology-driven society. The annual convention was graced by no less than Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman as keynote speaker.

Strengthening Fiscal Responsibility

• Public Financial Management (PFM) Onsite Validation

As part of the core commitments of the department, the DBM established the PFM Assessment Tool for LGUs (PFMAT) as a means of institutionalized governance reform through timely PFM assessments and PFM improvement planning exercises.

The DBM Regional Offices shall take charge of the monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the PFM Improvement Plans (PFMIPs) of LGUs at the regional level using the PFMIP Implementation Monitoring Table filled-up by LGUs.

The PFM Validation Team commenced its onsite validation with the LGUs in Agusan del Norte (Kitcharao, Las Nieves, Tubay) and LGUs in Agusan del Sur (Province, Loreto and San Luis). It was emphasized that these LGUs were not chosen by chance, instead, they were among those scored high in their PFMIP Monitoring Table. Provinces, cities and municipalities from Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte and Dinagat will be validated in the months of November and December.

As October unfolded, DBM XIII's Fiscal Fitness Month emerges as a comprehensive initiative to instill financial discipline, transparency, and efficiency in the region's financial management landscape. Through a combination of education, technology integration, collaboration, and recognition, DBM XIII aims to foster a culture of responsible fiscal behavior that benefits both the government and its clientele.