The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) strengthened its institutional capacity for sound and results-oriented public financial management through the conduct of the Public Financial Management (Budget Preparation) Training Workshop on August 4–5, 2026 in Quezon City.
The two-day workshop brought together the Board of Directors, Administrator, Deputy Administrators, Regional and Service Directors, Division Chiefs, Planning Officers, Budget Officers, Accountants, and other key personnel from the Head Office and Regional Extension Offices (REOs) to enhance their technical and strategic competencies in preparing comprehensive and data-driven budget proposals.
In his message, Chairman Undersecretary Alexander B. Raquepo underscored the crucial role of budgeting in enabling the Authority to fulfill its mandate, describing budget preparation as the “heart and soul” of an agency’s service delivery.
He emphasized that public funds are entrusted to government agencies solely for the benefit of the people and called on CDA officials and personnel to maximize the Authority’s limited resources by directing them toward programs and services that create meaningful and lasting benefits for cooperatives and their members.
In partnership with subject matter experts (SMEs) from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the workshop provided participants with practical guidance on key areas of budget preparation and financial management.
Ms. Evita D. Fontanilla, OIC Division Chief of BMB-A and Mr. Mark Angelo L. Estamida, Budget and Management Specialist I of BMB-A, discussed the fundamentals and processes of budget preparation, including common findings and deficiencies observed during the evaluation and presentation of agency budget proposals. Their session highlighted the importance of completeness, accuracy, consistency, and proper justification in developing budget submissions.
Meanwhile, Mr. Virgilio A. Umpacan, Senior Budget and Management Specialist, discussed Performance-Informed Budgeting (PIB) and Program Expenditure Classification (PREXC), emphasizing the critical link among agency mandates, programs, budgets, performance indicators, and intended results. The discussion reinforced the importance of ensuring that public resources are not merely allocated based on expenditure requirements but are strategically directed toward measurable outputs and outcomes.
A key feature of the workshop was the Mock Technical Budget Hearing (TBH) facilitated by Mr. Umpacan, which simulated the technical evaluation and budget defense process conducted by the DBM. Through the exercise, participants were able to translate the concepts discussed during the workshop into practice by presenting and defending proposed programs and corresponding budget requirements. The simulation also enabled them to identify potential gaps in their proposals, sharpen their responses to technical questions, and strengthen the link between proposed expenditures, agency priorities, and expected results. More importantly, the exercise provided participants with a better appreciation of the level of preparation, evidence, and justification required during an actual budget hearing.
At the conclusion of the activity, Assistant Secretary Luz H. Yringco reminded participants that mistakes committed during the workshop should be viewed as opportunities for learning and improvement. She stressed, however, that the same mistakes should not be repeated during the actual preparation and defense of the CDA’s budget. She further underscored the responsibility of CDA personnel to ensure that government resources are planned, allocated, and utilized judiciously, reminding participants that public funds come from the hard-earned money of taxpayers who ultimately expect meaningful and responsive government programs and services.
Ultimately, the activity reinforces the CDA’s commitment to fiscal discipline, accountability, evidence-based decision-making, and results-oriented resource management, ensuring that every public peso entrusted to the Authority contributes to meaningful programs, responsive services, and sustainable development of the cooperative sector.
