Finance team of the Bangsamoro Development Agency (BDA) is currently extending technical assistance to Sajahatra Bangsamoro (SB) in strengthening the latter’s financial management.

According to Hamodi L. Tiboron, CPA, BDA Head on Finance, the assistance which was on August 5-6, and 12-13, 2015 was part of the result of the series of financial management reviews with (SB).

“This initiative forms part of the recommendations of Community and Family Services International (CFSI) which also conducted series of financial management reviews with both BDA and SB,”Tiboron said.

BDA Finance sent a four-man team composed of Anwar S. Abdullah, accountant; Hafidullah N. Kasan, financial database administrator; Sittie Joharnie L. Dawi, cashier and Faridiah S. Bandar, accounting assistant.

Accordingly, the team focused in sharing BDA’s ways of tracking fund downloads and liquidations, monitoring and controlling various forms of disbursements including cash advances, implementing cash-related internal controls, use of Quickbooks, financial reporting and other elements for sound and excellent financial management system.

“We’d like to extend our appreciation for lending us a hand in dealing with our financial system,” expressed by Amon Jadeedah Pacasem, Finance Officer of Sajahatra Bangsamoro.

“Throughout its long years of existence, BDA has developed a financial system applicable in Bangsamoro context without compromising its adherence with generally accepted accounting principles and other international standards,”Tiboron said.

He further said that “as we continue to implement various programs and projects, further enhancement is being done in order to make sure that our system is in conformity at all times with the very dynamic environment we are within. So long as in line with the utmost struggle of the Bangsamoro for ideal governance, we will always be open to share our system. We find it fulfilling, motivating and and inspiring to share what we have developed for the Bangsamoro.”

Sajahatra Bangsamoro was formed jointly by Government of the Philippines (GPH) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to provide health, education and livelihood services to priority Bangsamoro communities.

Program implementation support comes from different government line agencies while fund support comes from the Mindanao Trust Fund, a multi-donor facility being administered by the World Bank.

Fund flows from the World Bank to the BDA then Sajahatra Bangsamoro through Community and Family Services International (CFSI) being a trust fund recipient.