MUNTREAL to establish SEAL program

SEAL PROGRAM --- Municipal Treasurer’s League of Maguindanao president Engr. Tokan Brahim (seated 2^nd from left) presides over a regular monthly meeting of fellow municiapl treasures held at the MUNTREAL office in Cotabato City. The discussion centered on the upcoming implementation of the SEAL program. (GILMHAR A. LAO – MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

COTABATO CITY ---- The Municipal Treasurer’s League (MUNTREAL) of Maguindanao is scheduled to implement the Department of Finance (DOF) Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) Department Order No. 053. 2016 (dated October 20, 2016) or the Establishment of Standardized Examination and Assessment for Local Treasury Service (SEAL) program.

Engr. Tokan Brahim, MUNTREAL of Maguindanao president, said the DOF through the BLGF aims to develop and institute continuing competency and professional development mechanisms for local treasurers and assistant treasurers pursuant to the mandated functions under Section 470 and Section 471 of the Local Government Code of 1991.

“With the goal to further develop competent and qualified local treasury officials who demonstrate and perform their functions with the highest degree of excellence, integrity, professionalism, and ethic orientation, the SEAL program was established and institutionalized by the DOF,” he said.

The SEAL program is a three-level competency certification program intended to measure the following: SEAL 1 Certification - Tactical-Operational Competencies. This is applicable to all provincial, city, and municipal treasurers and assistant treasurers regardless of LGU income classification. This is also open to any interested applicant who intends to join local treasury service and the qualifications set under Section 470 and 471 of the LGU shall not be a requirement in applying for the said examination.

SEAL 2 Certification - Strategic-Managerial Competencies. This is primarily intended for local treasurers and assistant treasurers in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Income Class Provinces, Cities and Municipalities. Seal 1 Certification shall be a pre-requisite in taking up SEAL 2.

SEAL 3 Certification - Leading for Innovation Competencies.Brahim explained that this is suited for treasurers and assistant treasurers of Special, 1st Class and Highly Urbanized Cities, and 1st Income Class provinces. This program shall only be open to those certified under SEAL 2.

Further, he said the SEAL certification/s shall form part of the criteria in evaluating and selecting recommendees for appointment and designation and the corresponding weights are given for each level.

“We were informed that effective June 2018, all designations and extension thereof shall only be issued to SEAL 1 Basic Competency on Local Treasury Examination (BCLTE)-certified personnel who will be recommended by the local chief executive. Those non-SEAL 1 (BCLTE)-certified designees who will be affected after June 2018 are thus encouraged to obtain said certification to be considered for extension,” he said.

The examinations required for SEAL 1, BCLTE, and for SEAL 2, through the Intermediate Competency on Local Treasury Examination, shall be directly handled by the Civil Service Commission. Examination fees and collecting shall be in accordance with the rules and regulations of the CSC.

“Examination fees shall be done by the concerned applicants. Instructions and advisories from the CSC and the BLGF regarding the venue of examinations and other administrative matters will be communicated accordingly. On the other hand, the SEAL 3 Certification, through the Advance Competency for Local Treasury Examination (ACLTE), shall be administered directly by the DOF and the BLGF,” said Brahim.

Meanwhile, Brahim said the MUNTREAL has been conducting regular meetings to further dicuss and complement various issues of different localities.

“We do this in order to make our every move right and that we are properly guided,” said Brahim. (GILMHAR A. LAO & ANNE ACOSTA– MINDANAO EXPOSE’)