EN 
ES Rijo Presbot: “Consistency and teamwork improve the quality of services aimed at people”
From November 27 to December 6, the Budget Directorate celebrated Quality Week to promote the importance of quality for organizational success and the well-being of individuals. With the participation of José Ramón Holguín Brito, Vice Minister of Government Monitoring and Coordination, and Milagros Ortíz Bosch, Director General of Ethics and Governmental Integrity, the Budget Directorate (Digepres) concluded its second Quality Week, aimed at raising awareness about the importance of quality for organizational success and the well-being of individuals. The theme of this year's event was "Quality, Integrity, and Innovation," which encapsulates the Budget Directorate's commitment to transforming its culture and achieving excellence in service. The opening ceremony was led by the Director General of the Budget, José Rijo Presbot, and Iván Ramírez, Deputy Director General of the Budget. The opening remarks were delivered by Rijo Presbot, who emphasized the importance of perseverance and teamwork in achieving the goals set within the institutions. “In the Budget Office, we are a team,” he stated in his address. For her part, Milagros Ortíz Bosch, director of DIGEIG, indicated that the government seeks to ensure quality permeates public policies, regulations, and procedures of state institutions. “Quality translates into the well-being of the people and into returning money to those who earn it fairly and equitably,” Ortíz Bosch stated. As part of the event, José Ramón Holguín Brito, Vice Minister of Government Monitoring and Coordination, presented the Presidential Cabinet and the technological, data, and information analysis transformations the government is implementing to make public policies more efficient and effective, while also reducing costs and time. “Under President Luis Abinader’s administration, we are constantly working to obtain and update daily the data that allows us to understand each Dominican and their individual circumstances, in order to guide social policies and improve people’s lives,” stated Vice Minister Holguín. Meanwhile, Patricia Castillo, head of the Planning and Development Department and coordinator of the event, indicated that the administration led by José Rijo Presbot aims to promote integrity, transparency, and quality in institutional operations. “Quality in processes and indicators is about people. In 2021 and 2022, we improved internal and external services, budget modifications, certifications, and a risk-based culture. Now, we are committed to taking a leap toward international quality certifications such as ISO 9001:2015, Quality Management System, and ISO 37001, to prevent bribery in organizations,” Castillo noted, as part of the ongoing improvement transformations being implemented by the Budget Office. At the end of the event, José Ramón Holguín Brito, Vice Minister of Government Monitoring and Coordination, and Milagros Ortíz Bosch, head of the General Directorate of Ethics and Governmental Integrity, were recognized for their work promoting transparency and ethics within public institutions. Quality Week, held in the Juan Bosch Room at the Budget Office, brought together directors, division heads, and staff in general. It took place from November 27 to December 6 and featured a variety of activities designed to foster participation and commitment to quality in institutional processes.
Budget Integrity Commission holds talk to promote the value of ethics among public servants
The activity was held in commemoration of National Civic Ethics Day, coordinated by the Integrity Commission. Sociologist Cándido Mercedes was the speaker. With the aim of raising awareness among public servants about the impact of ethics and values on public service, the General Directorate of Budget (Digepres), under the coordination and initiative of the Commission for Governmental Integrity and Regulatory Compliance (CIGCN), offered the talk “The Importance of Ethics Today: Building More Capital and Social Cohesion.” The activity, part of the events commemorating National Civic Ethics Day, celebrated every April 29, also sought to promote the importance of transparency in public institutions. The talk, given by sociologist Cándido Mercedes, was led by the Director General of Budget, José Rijo Presbot; Milagros Ortíz Bosch, Director General of Ethics and Governmental Integrity; and the Deputy Director General of Budget, Iván Ramírez. At the event, the Budget Director thanked Ortiz Bosch and Mercedes for their presence, praising their qualities, experience, and work as role models of ethical conduct. Ortiz Bosch delivered the welcoming remarks and outlined the work he has been doing at the head of the institution to promote and strengthen an ethical culture among public servants. “Without you, there are no changes, nor oversight to identify who is complying with the rules. This is what allows us to achieve ethical functioning within the institutions we are part of,” Ortiz Bosch said in his address. For her part, Soribel Medina, General Coordinator of the Commission on Governmental Integrity and Regulatory Compliance (CIGCN), acknowledged the importance of the work of all Budget Directors in strengthening the CIGCN's work. Cándido Mercedes called for reflection on ethical values, collective respect, and the importance of adopting a lifestyle based on transparency and efficiency to achieve a more just and balanced society. Among the topics addressed by the speaker were concepts related to ethics, social cohesion and capital, cooperation, commitment, and teamwork, which, when combined, enable the institution's success and the country's development. "Our commitment is to strive for collective well-being, which also guarantees individual well-being, and civic ethics is the primary tool available to forge citizens committed to a more just and equitable society," Mercedes stated. Similarly, Cándido Mercedes highlighted in his presentation the efforts being made by President Luis Abinader's administration in the fight against corruption through an independent judiciary and the strengthening of democratic institutions. CIGCN: Committed to institutional ethics, Digepres, under the leadership of DIGEIG, established its Governmental Integrity and Regulatory Compliance Commission (CIGCN) in compliance with Decree No. 791-21, which declares the implementation and election of Governmental Integrity and Regulatory Compliance Commissions (CIGCN) in all public institutions a high national priority. This marks the first time the Integrity Commission has representatives from all organizational groups, ensuring the participation and commitment of employees at all levels.
Dominican delegation present at United Nations conference against corruption in Central America
Rijo Presbot junto a Ortíz Bosch encabezan la comisión dominicana. La conferencia cuenta con el respaldo del gobierno de Honduras y el apoyo de la Oficina Internacional de Asistencia Antinarcóticos y Procuración de Justicia (INL) de Estados Unidos Isla Roatán, Honduras. – El director general de Presupuesto, José Rijo Presbot, junto a la doctora Milagros Ortíz Bosch, directora general de Ética e Integridad Gubernamental, participarán como parte de la delegación de República Dominicana en la Conferencia de Lanzamiento de la Plataforma para Acelerar la Implementación de la Convención de las Naciones Unidas contra la Corrupción (UNCAC) en Centroamérica, que se llevará a cabo en Isla Roatán, Honduras, del 25 al 27 de abril. Junto a Rijo Presbot y Ortíz Bosch, Yovanny Díaz, director de la Dirección de Ética e Integridad Gubernamental; Delta Paniagua, directora jurídica de la Dirección de Ética e Integridad Gubernamental y Ruth Henríquez Manzueta, subdirectora general de la Dirección General de Contrataciones Públicas, conforman la delegación dominicana. La plataforma se constituirá como un foro para que los Estados parte y los socios para el desarrollo creen y fomenten alianzas, y diseñen acciones para para implementar la UNCAC. Los trabajos de la conferencia se centrarán en cinco áreas temáticas prioritarias, identificadas a partir de los resultados de los exámenes de la aplicación de la UNCAC y del Mecanismo de Seguimiento de la Implementación de la Convención Interamericana contra la Corrupción (MESICIC); entre las que se destacan los sistemas de integridad en el sector público, transparencia e integridad en contratación pública, prevención de la corrupción en el sector privado, denuncias de corrupción y protección a denunciantes, investigación, enjuiciamiento y cooperación internacional en casos de corrupción. En el encuentro, que tomará como base las capacidades y los conocimientos regionales para identificar prioridades de reforma factibles y prácticas, también se abordarán temas sobre perspectiva de Derechos Humanos e igualdad de género, el uso de tecnologías para fomentar transparencia, acceso a la información y rendición de cuentas. Además, se llevarán a cabo reuniones técnicas para propiciar intercambio de buenas prácticas, reforzar el dialogo, revisar y adecuar propuestas resultantes de las sesiones llevadas a cabo por representantes de los Estados participantes. La participación de República Dominicana en la Conferencia de Lanzamiento de la Plataforma para Acelerar la Implementación de la Convención de las Naciones Unidas contra la Corrupción (UNCAC) en Centroamérica, se suma a los esfuerzos del Gobierno del presidente Luis Abinader por elevar los niveles de transparencia en el desempeño gubernamental y la lucha anticorrupción, especialmente a través de mecanismos de control social y veeduría ciudadana.
