Getting more beneficial insights on the enhancement of strategic plan and Islamic work ethics, key employees of the Ministry of Human Settlements and Development of the BARMM are now more inspired and determined to do more and be more in implementing the mandates of the ministry.

These are the highlights of the remaining days of the five-day ‘Real Estate Policy Development and Management Workshop cum Review and Enhancement of Strategic Plan’ beginning March 16, held at New Dawn Hotel Plus, Cagayan de Oro City in partnership with The Asia Foundation (TAF).

The activity was possible with funding support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Atty. Mohammad Muktadir Ahmad Estrella, Chief of the Legal Services of the Civil Service Commission (CSC)-BARMM, led the multiple workshops aimed at pinpointing issues and concerns the ministry faces or may encounter and facilitated further planning to enhance upon.

Atty. Estrella emphasized the necessity and importance of change, which he said is significant in the process of improvement and that the ministry and its employees must be ready for it as to mindset, behavior, skills, processes, and systems.

Atty. Yasmin M. H.Abdulkarim, Attorney 4 of the CSC-BARMM led a workshop on classifying each of the ministry’s functions per section and division, and how are they consistent or in which of the ministry’s mandates in the Admin Code do they apply after her lecture on ‘Strategic Planning’.

During the planning workshops, the participants were able to share what they will commit and introduce to the ministry, they were grouped to present concerns, actions taken, results, and supports needed.

Meanwhile, Minister Atty. Hamid Aminoddin D. Barra also delivered a lecture on ‘Islamic Work Ethics’, telling several stories and snippets from the Qur’an on how leadership was carried out during the times of the Prophets, and how ethics stems from moral values, which comes from moral judgement.

During the lecture, Minister Barra likened the ministry to a watch, which is not only composed of the numbers on the face, but multiple moving parts constantly working together to function. If any part was removed, the watch would stop moving accordingly.

He then reminded the employees that exiting the office is an expected event, no matter if it was through retirement or relocation, all must be prepared to be replaced, and to set a foundation for the next generation to take their place. Thus, the need for everyone to choose duty over desire, awareness over amnesia, and humility over arrogance.

All outputs have been gathered and documented by both TAF and MHSD for future references and to serve as guide in attaining the ‘end of transition’ strategic goal that is ‘to establish a working and reliable structure, process flow, and human resource management of the ministry to carry out its mandate, guided by moral governance, for the effective and responsive management of housing, human settlement, and urban development’ by 2025.