LUNA, Apayao – The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) did not only settle for second best but had proven to be the best in the country not only in its regional performance but also in the individual ranking as three Cordillerans landed in top posts, two of them ranked first and second and the other one landed in top nine in the first Department of Finance – Civil Service Commission – Bureau of Local Government Finance Basic Competency on Local Treasury Examination (BCLTE).
Apayao Provincial Treasurer Atty. Julaida Caddawan-Pancho led the 494 passers out of 2994 examinees with an outstanding 92.27% rating. The second placer is Janice Pucay who is the Municipal Treasurer of Kabayan, Benguet while the ninth placer is Loreta Ellag Olido of BLGF-CAR.
The top 10 passers were recognized and awarded certificate of commendation on October 26, 2017 in Manila on the occasion of the BLGF’s 30th Founding Anniversary. Atty. Pancho in behalf of the awardees addressed the crowd and expressed her delight of topping, however, she also revealed her apprehension being on top.
“While I am elated that at least the result has proven that I possess the necessary basic competency for a local treasurer, I am at the same time worried that I might not be able to match my BCLTE rating with the same performance rating,” she underscored.
As an consistent achiever in her elementary years, in high school, when in college and until now, holding the top position in Apayao Treasury Office, she sets high standards upon herself and strives to achieve them slowly but surely. Now that she is looked upon by treasurers and officials not only in the Cordilleras but in the country, higher sets of standards have been again impliedly rested on her shoulder.
“I am worried because there are lot of factors in the field that are beyond the control of the treasurer that definitely affect his or her compliance to the local treasury performance standards. I must really have to strive even harder,” she stressed.
She said she did not expect to land at the top as she did not do anything extraordinary in her preparation. However, she admitted as she looked back that her preparations started the day she accepted the assignment to the treasury office.
“I don’t have experience in treasury service but I accepted the assignment because the challenge to make a difference was posted in manner that to refuse would mean defeating the efforts and the already achieved successes our forefathers have made for the province,” she recalled.
It was the late Mayor Elias K. Bulut (EKB) that showed confidence in her ability to manage and initiate noble changes in a department. “You have to understand that my marching order from EKB was to initiate change and make the office work according to regulation. If I have to do this, it is indispensable that I must know how a treasury office really works according to regulation, hence, the effort to be well informed and be knowledgeable in all aspects if possible. I read everything that there is to read and tried to learn from it and then applied them in the office. My staff learned with me and we put everything we learned into practice” she highlighted.
“The result of the exam also has proven that indeed I possess the potential EKB believed I possessed that day he assigned me to the Provincial Treasury Office,” she reminisced.
Atty. Pancho expressed also her commitment to cascade what she learned in the municipal treasury offices. She also acknowledged the support of all the Mayors and the Provincial Government of Apayao lead by Governor Elias C. Bulut, Jr. “The good Governor even when he was not yet the governor was already among those actually supporting the treasury service in all of its improvements and efforts.” she added.
In landing on top she recognized the valuable contributions of the BLGF-CAR family. She said they provided invaluable assistance. “The result also in some ways proved that the BLGF-CAR is really working according to its mandate, that is, to lend technical assistance to the local treasury service) as they really give a lot of technical assistance in the Province of Apayao.
The BLGF has been very supportive all through out. I run to them for help every now and then. The regional office even came to conduct an in-house reorientation/training on treasury services,” Atty. Pancho admitted.
It could have been a gloomy and disheartening day on December 6, 2015 for Atty. Pancho who will be taking the BCLTE, a day after learning the passing of her mentor, motivator, the late Mayor Elias K. Bulut, Jr. but that did not dampen her spirit to rise above the challenge and land on top.
By GERRIAHZON S. SEBASTIAN
