OLONGAPO CITY – With more fervor in delivering service to the marginalized farmers and fisherfolk, the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program marked its 2nd Quarterly Assessment at Anne Raquel’s Hillside Resort, New Cabalan, Olongapo City Zambales.
The SAAD National Program Management Office along with the Support Staff from all six (6) regions, which handle the current top ten priority provinces of SAAD, and the SAAD advisory committee, which consist of different Department of Agriculture (DA) Offices, gathered together in a week-long assessment and action planning workshop last July 10-14, 2017.
Assistant Secretary for Planning, Project Development and Special Projects and SAAD Program Director Lerey A. Panes kicked off the said event with his remarks emphasizing on the unavoidable instances which the personnel may face as they fulfill their callings. In this regard, Asec. Panes urged the participants to conquer whatever trial may come their way. He also reiterated the need to deliver the agricultural needs of the identified beneficiaries notwithstanding the hindrances, in order to help uplift their lives and help alleviate the poverty in the country.
This was followed by the assessment proper where each region presented their accomplishment reports before the panelists who include Asec Panes, SAAD Deputy Program Director Bernadette F. San Juan, and the representatives from various DA Offices.
Dir. San Juan took the floor shortly after the assessment to talk about several matters concerning the identification of beneficiaries of the SAAD program.
Discussions on the planning and budget cycle were carried on on the second day of the assessment. Michael Rei Carbungco from the DA-Budget Division and Reichelle Celorico from the Planning and Monitoring Service (PMS) shared some insights on the aforementioned topics.
Grace A. Ortiz, Chief Budget and Management Specialist of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Regional Office III was also invited to talk on the government procurement process flow. Ortiz gladly answered some queries as she went on with her presentation on the Bidding Procedure of Goods and Infrastructure.
An action planning workshop was as well held which targetted to draft a concrete and viable plan for the implementation of the SAAD Program in the remaining months of 2017.
The assessment week ended with higher hopes as the SAAD Program now takes the next big steps in providing further assistance to the target beneficiaries. ###
