The Foreign Service Institute’s (FSI’s) Carlos P. Romulo School of Diplomacy (CPRSD) conducted its first online Finance Officers’ Course (FOC) from 10 to 21 May 2021.Twenty-two personnel from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) – Office of Financial Management Services (OFMS) participated in the Course.

The Foreign Service Institute’s (FSI’s) Carlos P. Romulo School of Diplomacy (CPRSD) conducted its first online Finance Officers’ Course (FOC) from 10 to 21 May 2021.Twenty-two personnel from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) – Office of Financial Management Services (OFMS) participated in the Course.

The FOC was a two-week training designed particularly for personnel of OFMS whose work involve financial budgeting and accounting for the Home Office, Foreign Service Posts, and Consular Offices. 

To prepare the participants for the role of Finance Officers, the Course focused on the different aspects of financial management and the new government accounting systems and auditing concepts, among others. 

OFMS Assistant Secretary Myla Grace Ragenia C. Macahilig led the roster of FOC resource persons who shared valuable time, wisdom, and knowledge with the participants.

The Course provided an overview of the OFMS, an introduction to Public Financial Management, and discussions on the role and functions of Finance and Collecting Officers in the Foreign Service. The lecture-discussions on Budget Preparation and Process, Guidelines on Budget Implementation, Preparation of Report of Collections, and electronic – New Government Accounting System (e-NGAS) highlighted the scope and details of the work of Finance Officers and the importance of continuously developing their technical skills to be able to perform with facility and accuracy, as their duties call for.

Concluding the FOC were the workshops on budget and fiscal report preparations; and the application exams on budget and financial accounting.

The FOC held in 2019 was conducted through the traditional face-to-face approach. With the current pandemic and social restrictions, CPRSD was able to shift the program successfully to an online platform.

OFMS’ Executive Director Mark Francis C. Hamoy (third row, fifth tile) and Financial Planning Division Director Randy B Arquiza (third row, first tile) with the Finance Officers Course participants in a group photo after the session, “Overview of Public Financial Management”.