Day: June 17, 2024

DIGEPRES successfully concludes first phase of external audit of the Integrated Quality and Anti-Bribery System

With this initiative, the Budget Directorate reaffirms its commitment to strengthening processes, controls, and quality standards in all its areas of operation for continuous improvement. The General Directorate of Budget (DIGEPRES) successfully completed the first phase of the External Audit of the Integrated Quality and Anti-Bribery System to determine the organization's capacity to comply with applicable legal, regulatory, and contractual requirements to obtain certifications under ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 37001:2016. The activity, coordinated by the Planning and Development Department, was led by external auditors Jhoan Regalado, Armando Montero, Alberto Almonte, and Heidy Castillo from the Dominican Institute for Quality (INDOCAL). The opening ceremony included welcoming remarks from the Director General of Budget, José Rijo Presbot, accompanied by Iván Ramírez, Deputy Director General, and other officials of the institution. Rijo Presbot, in his remarks, stated that the process is part of Digepres' commitment to continuous quality improvement and measures to prevent inappropriate conduct within the institution. "This process contributes to what we have been striving to establish since the first day of our administration: a horizontal, participatory, open, transparent organization committed to values and ethics," Rijo Presbot emphasized. He also affirmed that compliance with regulations within the Budget Department is paramount. For his part, Jhoan Regalado, lead auditor of the evaluation team, thanked the Budget Department for its commitment and willingness to provide feedback and identify opportunities for institutional growth and development. The meeting then moved on to the day's agenda. Patricia Castillo, head of the Planning and Development Department, expressed that maintaining and consolidating the Integrated Quality and Anti-Bribery Management System entails commitments and responsibilities from all participants; therefore, she expressed her gratitude for the work that the Directorate, area managers, and staff have been carrying out for months to improve the System. During the process, which began at eight in the morning and concluded at four in the afternoon, the auditors met with various managers from each of Digepres's departments. They verified the system, the defined objectives of the processes, and the effective execution of established procedures to ensure quality and continuous improvement within Digepres. Audit Closure: Finally, in the afternoon, the lead auditor, Jhoan Regalado, formally declared the review and evaluation of the effectiveness of the Integrated Quality and Anti-Bribery Management System closed, acknowledging the importance of having certified processes in the future. Regalado highlighted the Budget Department's unwavering commitment to continuous improvement and opportunities for growth and development at the organizational level, and also reported on the process of delivering the final audit report. For his part, Iván Ramírez, Deputy Director of Budget, sent a heartfelt message of congratulations and recognition to all collaborators for the satisfactory results obtained in the first phase of the audit: “Congratulations to all those involved for emerging victorious in this first stage, a product of our own awareness and organizational culture.”