Advisory board welcomes new Army chief

FILE: President Rodrigo R. Duterte receives a token from incoming Army commander Brigadier General Macairog Alberto (middle) and Eastern Mindanao Command Commander Lieutenant General Benjamin Madrigal. (File photo/PPD via PNA)

MANILA — To reiterate and fully strengthen efforts in ensuring continuity in the Army Transformation Roadmap (ATR), the Philippine Army Multi-Sector Advisory Board (PA-MSAB) welcomed newly-appointed Commanding General of the Philippine Army (CGPA), Lt. General Macairog S. Alberto, in a fellowship dinner at the Manila Polo Club in Makati on Saturday.

Spearheaded by PA-MSAB Chairperson, Atty. Arnel P. Casanova, the gathering also lauded the contributions of former Army chief, retired Gen. Rolando Joselito Bautista, and outgoing Board members, Samira Gutoc, and Dr. Maria Isabel Cojuangco-Suntay, through a simple recognition ceremony.

PA-MSAB was established in 2015 primarily to promote continuity, sustainability, and shared responsibility for the ATR, an 18-year transformation and governance program adapted from Harvard’s Palladium Balance Scorecard framework.

Its inception is a recognition of the important roles of external stakeholders in the Army’s performance governance system, which is the basis of the formulation of the ATR.

Developed in 2010, the ATR aims to pursue genuine transformation in the Army with the goal of becoming a world-class institution that is a source of national pride by 2028.

This partnership between civilians and the Army guarantees public engagement in strategy formulation and execution, and serving as a link of the Army to the people in the formulation of plans, programs, and policies, the Board provides inputs on how the military should continuously improve its systems, processes, and services.

The group, which is composed of representatives from key sectors of society, helps the Army pursue transformation initiatives.

In July 2018, the board organized themselves into committees to effectively and efficiently support the ATR.

The committees include Governance, Resource, Strategic, and Assessment and Review.

In his message, Alberto recognized the efficient and significant contribution of the Board as a public body that has been supporting the Philippine Army.

He vowed to “fully support the MSAB and ensure that the Philippine Army will continue to listen” to the advisory body.

The consistent engagement of MSAB members with the Army leadership through the years signals a continuous open link on communication and a stronger multi-sector governance coalition for the attainment of the Philippine Army’s 2028 vision.

Manifested in this interest of partnership with the public is the Army’s commitment to genuine reforms promoting good governance through transparency and accountability.

Also in attendance in the ceremony are other MSAB members Alberto Lim, Mel Sarmiento, Vicky Garchitorena, and Harold Clavite; officials of the Army’s Government and Strategy Management Office; and the Army’s Conference Group Alpha.

Meanwhile, outgoing board member Gutoc, who is seeking an elective office in the 2019 mid-term elections, recommended that another Muslim woman from Mindanao be chosen as her replacement.