10 POINT AGENDA OF SEC.

BRIONES
1. DepEd identified procurement and management system as major
roadblocks. To address these, DepEd introduced greater leadership
supervision over Finance and Administration: two Undersecretaries for
Finance were appointedone in charge of the expenditure to make sure
money flows and is accounted for, and another to manage budget
utilization.

2. DepEd has also met with Department of Public Works and Highways
(DPWH) Secretary to reconstitute the Joint Technical Working Group on the
Basic Education Facilities and target prompt execution of school buildings
construction under the 2017 budget.

3. DepEd is also establishing an Integrated Financial Management

Information System (IFMIS) to track the status of the Department's budget
releases and disbursements in real time.
Changes in the current planning templates will be introduced to address
inflexibility in costing standards and delays in field validation of planned
projects.
No organization can succeed without an appropriate financial
management system which will be used to fund our dreams, promises, and
programs, she added.

4. In a move to support the campaign against the proliferation of illegal

drug use, DepEd convened with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to form a
Working Group that will forge a common legal position on drug testing for
students and personnel among DepEd, the Commission on Higher
Education (CHEd) and Technicial Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA), and implement the comprehensive drug testing
initiative in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH).

5. One education intervention to help keep schoolchildren in school until

completion of basic education is the continuation of school-based feeding
programs. The proposal to have the massive feeding program will be
reviewed amid budget implications.

6. Briones stressed that to be part of DepEd, excellent education

credentials are but the minimum qualification. Employees should strive to
be more capacitated and informed on the state of education and the needs

of the country. Therefore, the agency will introduce curricular and noncurricular programs, and undertake institutional capacity building to be
responsive to the aspirations and urgent needs of the nation.
Improvement of the capacity of teachers, education leaders, and DepEd
personnel includes the strengthening of DepEd Regional Offices capacity
in managing and hosting training programs, and the training on
curriculum for teachers and ALS facilitators.

7. Secretary Briones emphasized the importance of integrating, reflecting,

and expressing the Philippines rich historical experiences in the
educational system. She acknowledged the challenges to move away from
data and technology to innovation, creativity, critical thinking, and
acceptance of and adjustment to changes.
During the 6th APEC Education Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) in Peru,
Briones said that while Science and Technology is also being offered to
students as early as Grade 3 and 4, DepEd is loyal not only to the culture
and arts but also to Philippine history and the directions of the
development program.

8. DepEd is eyeing the expansion of the scope of academic and nonacademic employee welfare through the improvement of the provident
fund.

9. Department leadership will be active, transparent, consultative,

collaborative, and corruption-free. A regular general assembly with the
employees will be held to update on the development in the agency. There
will be briefings by each Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries with
directors on current programs.

10. Amid concerns and debates, Secretary Briones maintained that the
Department will continue partnerships with the private sector.