1.

If you’re the head of a government institution or agency, what are the policies you will impose in cash
management to maintain transparency?

When money is dealt in personal issues, only direct members of the family will react. Yet, if public fund
is being subjected to doubt issues, the rest of the society will react, and even legal procedures follow.
This is because public service quantifies public trust.

As head of a government institution, I must answer the need of the public when it comes to fund, and
that is being transparent. Quality service must be delivered with proper accounting. If you were to ask
me, it will be with FOUR A’s. Let us start with ASSURANCE. As a leader, good fiscal management should
start within me, as a simple individual. My way of managing my financial needs will reflect as to how I
will manage the financial aspect of the agency. I must let the public feel that I am stable enough, capable
enough, and assured enough in terms of regulating and managing funds.

Second is ALLIGNMENT. It means that the use of fund should be aligned or must be in lined with the
budget stipulated. Excess use of fund will lead to deficit, and deficit will then lead to imbalance of cash
flow.

Next is ACCORDANCE. Government procedures are always associated to the “complex” adjectival
reason. That’s why, individuals tend to resort to shortcuts in terms of process. This is the time when
leaders and other personnel involved in cash management apt to or lean towards corrupting fund. Thus,
procedures must follow or accord to the standard process as mandated by law.

Last is ACCESSIBILITY. This is the term that all leaders know but some of them fail to imply. Why is it
hard? Simple. Expenses exceed the budget because procedures might not be following the standard
process as directed by law. And this is no excuse for the public will react. Instead, leaders chose to mask
the issue. They forgot that this is a very important part of the equation in delivering public service as a
public trust. Use of public fund should be accessible to end users, even the very least in the society.

2. What are common reported lapses that officials commit? What can you suggest to curb these
malpractices to avoid the other do the same?

I can only note one common reported lapse that officials commit which then cause a domino effect. I am
talking about malversation of fund. Malversation pertains to corruption in an office, trust, or
commission. This issue is very pressing even in the smallest group in the society for money manifests
discontentment. Psychologically, it attracts wants more than needs. As individuals, we tend to crave
more than what we need. We sometimes forget that we can do more even with the least. Malversation
of fund has resulted from lack of discipline and malpractice in terms of cash management. Leaders tend
to think that a single centavo or peso they have shared in their pockets from biddings or procurements
is just very small. When that very small or little amount can produce millions of corrupt funding.
To avoid such malpractice, leaders must exercise must check and balance in terms of cash flow. This is to
assure that the expenses are aligned with the agreed budget. Fund should not be handled by one
personnel only. Authorization, custodianship, and recording should be done by other units to guarantee
proper procedures. And to top it all, leaders must always follow the transparent line. Transparency is the
key.