Policy making body of the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) had just completed their five-week internal audit mission to six regional offices of the agency from April 19, 2014 to May 14, 2014. The mission aimed to determine existing management practices, check systems and identify gaps and propose policies to boost the efficacy and efficiency towards the institutionalization of the BDA.

The mission dubbed as Board of Directors (BOD) Journey for Management and Policy Determination Enhancement is the first kind of activity that the Board of Directors of BDA conducted.

“This is the first time that we conduct this kind of activity, and we also learn from this process. We get to know you, the Regional Management Office (RMO) and Central Management Office (CMO) staff, and we have to learn how deal with each of you, how to approach each one of you,” the BOD said during the exit conference at BDA Central Management Office Cotabato City.

Team Composition and Regions of Assignment

From the BOD, an Internal Audit Committee (IAC) is created to take charge of the assessment. Composed of two (2) teams, the committee is tasked to assess and evaluate the operation of BDA in its major areas of operation in six Regional Management Offices (RMOs). Team A is composed of Dir. Al-manzor B. Taug, Dir. Mohamad B. Salih, Ustaj Abusaliha Macacuna, Dir. Taufiq Alagasi and Dir. Hashim S. Casinto. They are assigned in the regions of Central Mindanao in Cotabato City, Southern Mindanao in General Santos City, and Davao Region, in Mati City, Davao Oriental.

Team B members are Dir. Rhadzni M. Taalim, Ustaj Mohamad Taha Abdulgapor and Dir. Jamel D. Macaraya and Ustaj Abdulkadir K. Abdullah. The team covered the regions of Zamboanga-Basilan in Isabela City, Basilan, Zamboanga Penisula in Pagadian City and Ranaw Region in Marawi City. The Central Management Office (CMO) of BDA is also part of the audit and it is being covered by both of the two teams.

The Assessment

Respondents to the assessment are staff from both RMOs and CMO of the agency. The assessment covers management and operation of the workplace of BDA, implementation of programs and projects, working relationship between and among staff both superior and subordinate, and internalization of staff to BDA vision and core values.

Staff were asked of the said subjects based on their observation and experience in working at BDA and being part of BDA. During the assessment, staff shared their ideas, views and recommendations of what they think are helpful for the betterment of BDA in serving the Bangsamoro.

We encourage you to share with us your observation, your experience, suggestions and recommendations, “IA Committee member stressed.

Identifying the strategic role of BDA in the Bangsamoro Government

BDA as development arm of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) now gears up to attune itself in the forthcoming of the Bangsamoro government. The conduct of Internal Audit is essentially for the BDA to achieve this objective of identifying its strategic role in this new Bangsamoro Political Entity.

During the orientation on the purpose of the assessment, the BOD told BDA staff that the activity will help them in identifying BDA’s role in the Bangsamoro.

“We want to situate BDA, as early as now, in the Bangsamoro. We want to see where we are at thus far, where do we want to go and how do we get there. It is from your response that we can determine what are our current strengths and what do we still need to be done to improve and enhance our development management capacity and the system of BDA,” the IA Committee said.

Recommendation from BDA staff

Both staff from RMO and CMO appreciated the initiative of the BOD for making this Internal Audit happened. Accordingly, the activity gave them opportunity to meet the BOD and vice versa, and to have this rare chance to share their experiences, their stories in working at BDA.

Preliminary Statement

BDA staff recommended for a regular conduct of the activity for them to get advice and guidance from the BOD who they consider as their parents in the BDA family. Further, they hope of the findings of the assessment to have specific actions towards the improvement of management and policy for BDA.