Position Paper

The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) formerly the Office on

Muslim Affairs (OMA) was created by the government in recognition of the importance
of addressing the needs of the Muslim Filipino communities. Pursuant to Section 2 of
Republic Act No. 9997 creating the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos which
states that “It is henceforth the policy of the State to ensure the rights and well-being
of Muslim Filipinos with due regard to their beliefs, customs, traditions, and institutions,
as well as to further ensure their contribution to national goals and aspirations and to
make them active participants in nation-building. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 9997
provides that the Commission shall preserve and develop the culture, tradition,
institutions, and well-being of Muslim Filipinos, in conformity with the country's laws
and in consonance with national unity.
The core objective of the creation of the Office on Muslim Affairs was firstly to
appease the struggle of the Bangsamoro people particularly the MNLF so that peace
and development in Mindanao can take off. Secondly, the Bangsamoro people may
realize that the government is exercising equal rights and equal opportunities among
citizenry and recognizes them as a partner for national development. Furthermore, the
state recognizes the necessity to address the needs to develop Muslim communities to
promote peaceful co-existence with the distinct ethnic heterogeneity in the region.
Thirdly, to show to the world especially the Organization of Islamic Countries that the
Philippine government is sincere in its 1976 Peace Accord with the Bangsamoro people
signed in Tripoli, Libya and that Philippine government has further deep concern over
the Muslim Filipinos by creating an office solely to handle and oversees socio-economic
programs for the Muslim Filipinos in order to uplift their social, economic and political
condition.
Provision of quality, reliable and effective services to the Muslim Filipinos is the
primary objectives of the National Commission on Muslim Filipino (NCMF). However,
since the establishment of the office in 1987 as Office on Muslim and now National
Commission on Muslim Filipinos in 2010 to date, it has been adopting a centralize
budgeting system whereby activities involving planning and decision-making within the
NCMF are concentrated to its Secretary in the Central Office. In a centralized
organization like NCMF, the decision-making powers are retained in the head office, and
all other offices receive commands from the main office. The executives and
specialists who make critical decisions are based in the head office. In the same
manner, the agency’s budget from the Department of Budget and Management
shall be downloaded directly to NCMF Central Office. Albeit of the fact that in
the preparation of budget for NCMF, the different regional offices submitted
Work and Financial Plan containing all the Programs, Activities and Projects for
the regional offices with its corresponding budgetary allocations. Nevertheless,
upon approval by the DBM, subject budgets will be downloaded to the NCMF
Main Office and that its regional offices shall request funds for its Program,
Activities and Projects to be implemented in its area covered. This process
eventually leads into a delay, inefficient and ineffective implementation of
programs, projects and activities of the different regional offices. Unlike in the
other line agencies of the government, their budgets are divided for its main
office and for its different regional offices. From the DBM, the budgets for the
regional offices are directly downloaded to their accounts. This way, the
regional offices are empowered to decide necessary actions and implement
programs, activities and projects beneficial to the people they are serving with
swiftly.
Henceforth, we are imploring munificent actions from the Department of
Budget and Management to reconsider our appeal for decentralization. It is
because we believe that through decentralization, our office, the National
Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) will be able to swiftly implement
beneficial programs, activities and projects to the Bangsamoro and maximize
its effort in providing quality and reliable services to the Bangsamoro People all
through out the republic of the Philippines. Service quality and satisfaction
result from how well the actual service is performed. Services are
performances, deeds and processes provided or coproduced by one entity or
person for and with another person. In today’s competitive environment,
quality service is considered the vital strategy for success and survival.
Through quality service that customer’s loyalty and satisfaction will be realized.
With the above premises, the hereunder personnel of NCMF CARAGA
profoundly and sincerely appealing humane actions from DBM to consider our
office prayer for NCMF to be decentralize, to with:
Name of Employee Signature
1. Monaim D. Guro __________________
2. Atty Nadzma A. Naga __________________
3. Esmael M. Carim __________________
4. Casar D. Bonsalagan __________________
5. Paisal Mamintal __________________
6. Saripha L. Barra __________________
7. Princess Lingco Cabugatan __________________