January 4, 2021. The Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS) conducted its year-end assessment and management review to assess the implementation of its 2020 Programs, Projects and Activities.
Attendees include: Director Myer G. Mula, Assistant Director and Technical Services Division (TSD) Chief Mary Grace R. Mandigma, Standards Development Division (SDD) Chief Karen Kristine A. Roscom, Farlash D. Pancho (SDD), Organic Agriculture Division (OAD) Chief Joeve S. Calleja, Mark. F. Matubang (OAD), Laboratory Services Division (LSD) Chief Edna Lynn C. Floresca, Administrative Support Services (ASS) Chief Daisy E. Melegrito, Rosemarie V. Calibo, Frederick Crisol, Rio Angelo Canaria and Kenneth A. Matchica.
The pandemic has changed the way the Bureau delivers its services and many initially believed that it would be a hurdle to accomplish its targets, but that’s not getting reflected in the 2020 performance review. In fact, it proves otherwise.
Part of BAFS’ achievement is having to regain its ISO 9001:2015 certification on December 21, 2020 after a 2-week suspension to comply with the submission of the action plans necessary to address the findings from the December 7, 2020 surveillance audit conducted by a Third-Party auditor from TUV SUD.
In totality, the Bureau accomplished 100% of its physical targets as reported by the respective Divisions. The accomplishment was achieved through the aid of BAFS’ refocusing strategies and transformation from on-site to digital platforms for the conduct of public consultations, webinars, remote audits and capacity building activities. On the other hand, the financial aspect of the equation suffered since budget spending has decreased tremendously with the travel restrictions, as well as prohibitions for on-site huge gatherings, form part of the strict health and safety protocols to combat the further spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the presentations, the following are the identified action points:
- To disaggregate the approved PNS for Crops, Livestock, Fisheries and AFMech into its component parts (specifics) for ease of browsing. Disaggregation should also include consideration of mandates as per Republic Acts;
- To segregate the locally-developed from internationally-developed PNS;
- To address the issue of water quality used for irrigating strawberry and other vegetable crops that are utilized as fresh table food (e.g. by revisiting the study conducted by SDD in 2014 for strawberry which was communicated to the concerned LGU);
- To develop a system for the conduct of remote witness audits to assess the continued compliance of officially accredited organic certification bodies (OCBs);
- To present the relationship of the financial vis-à-vis physical accomplishment of the bureau; and
- To link the current database with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). ###