Proposal for Policy Analysis Format Annex A

Proposal for Policy Analysis

An Action Policy Paper
for the Senior Executive Development Program Class No. ___

I. Background of the Problem, Issue, or opportunity

• Working Dogs (Explosive Detection Dogs; Combat Tracking Dogs; Narcotics

Detection Dogs; and Green Dogs) play a significant role in the protection of the state.
“They can detect even a small particle of drug or gunpowder or any residue that anyone
can have in a container or a bag,” Brigadier General Restituto Padilla, spokesperson of
the AFP once said. Hence, they are responsible for the detection of concealed bombs to
ensure the security of our President, other dignitaries and the entire nation in case of
threats against national security; and safeguard the airports, port areas and other public
places to aid in the prevention of the distribution of illegal drugs. According to Maxin
Arcebal, CEO of Hound Haven in an interview conducted by ABS-CBN, an average K-
9 works for 8-15 years which is practically their entire life. However, despite having
served for the greater good most of their life, working dogs in the Philippines were not
afforded the decent treatment they deserve.

• The Audit Guidelines on the Divestment or Disposal of Property and Other Assets of
National Government Agencies and Instrumentalities, Local Government Units and
Government-Owned or Controlled Corporations and their Subsidiaries as per COA
Circular No. 89-296 January 27,1989 on did not include the audit guidelines on the
disposal of Disposal of Working Dogs specifically through adoption.

• The lack standard set of audit guidelines on the disposal of Working Dogs resulted in
the non-uniformity and inconsistency in the audit procedures applied as well as the
reporting of the results thereon with respect to the propriety of the disposal of retired
Working Dogs of all government agencies/instrumentalities.

• Likewise, the treatment of retired working dogs depends in the discretion of the Agency
they served. Guidelines were crafted by different agencies to govern the disposal of
working dogs in their respective agencies while some has none at all and some adopted
the guidelines of other agencies resulting to the absence of a unified set of standards.

• The need for a consistent set of guidelines in the treatment of retired working dogs was
caused by the increasing complexity of the required security to ensure the safety of the
(a) President and other dignitaries, (b) military and law enforcement officials; (c) and
 places and properties these dogs protect. Their numbers continuously increase over the
years to cover for the circumstances which require their service.

II. Significance of the Problem, Issue, or Opportunity

• Lack of consistent audit guidelines would continue in subjecting various government

agencies to unnecessary expenditures resulting from keeping the working dogs in
custody since no standard can be used to authorize them in their disposal.

• Lack of guidelines prescribed by the Commission in the disposal of working dogs may
result to different adoption/application of set of rules and regulations that may be highly
discretionary and disadvantageous to the government.

III. Tangible Benefits that will be produced if the problem is resolved

 Disposal of retired and culled working dogs is deemed necessary for the purpose of maintaining
the quality of working dogs to provide effective and efficient services of the dogs and avoiding
continuous accumulation of unserviceable government assets which may entail loss of
resources.

 Crafting a uniform set of audit guidelines to govern the disposal of working dogs upon their
retirement would not only save the agencies millions of pesos of expenses for food, shelter
and other expenses but would also give the retired animals a modicum of decency in the
remaining years of their lives.

 The institution of the guidelines in the disposal of working dogs by the COA will ensure that
funds and properties of the government are used with utmost transparency, economy and
efficiency.

IV. Resource and Support Requirements for the Policy Analysis

 The policy analysis would require data regarding working dogs’ profile and inventory, including
the dogs’ age, gender, life span and peso value of expenses per day from agencies with working
animals. Existing guidelines being used by these agencies, if any, are also to be requested.
Data from the handlers, trainers and care providers of working dogs would also be obtained
regarding their optimal living conditions, trainings needed for the dogs to be suitable for
adoption and other possible courses of action for dogs which may not be fit for adoption.

 Communication with non-profit organizations like the Hound Haven, which caters a program
and advocacy on the retirement of Military Working Dogs, would also be necessary to explore
the prospect of delegating the responsibility for preparing the dogs for adoption and assessing
the aptness of potential adopters.

V. Role of the Proponent as a COA-SEDP executive

 • The proponents will use their skills as COA-SEDP executive in the research and gathering of
data regarding the prevailing conditions working dogs are currently subjected. Their thorough
analysis would yield the root cause and consequently, the possible courses of action to be
explored. Ultimately, this research would result in the optimum solution that would answer for
all the objectives laid down in this policy.

VI. Milestones

 The following table presents the outline of important deliverables or stages in the progress,
development and implementation of the research:

Timeframe Person-
Activities Output Star End in- Remarks
t Dat Charge
Date e
1. Conduct interview of NGS Jeannely
25
Auditors to determine whether n V.
List of Agencies auditors
their respective agencies use Dulay
with working
working dogs.
animals 25
Marlene
auditors
F. Arato
Jeannely
25
2. Obtain inventory/profile of Inventory/profil n V.
auditors
working dogs of various e of working Dulay
agencies. dogs
25
Marlene
auditors
F. Arato
Jeannely
3. Obtain copies of Standard 25
Standard n V.
Operating Procedures (SOP) on auditors
Operating Dulay
the disposal/retirement of
Procedures
working dogs. 25
(SOP) Marlene
auditors
F. Arato
Jeannely
4. Obtain information on the 25
n V.
maintenance cost each working Maintenance auditors
Dulay
dogs before and after their cost working
retirement age. dogs 25
Marlene
auditors
F. Arato
5. Research on previous COA
Audit Marlene
audit observations on working
Observations F. Arato
dogs
6. Research on newspaper Jeannely
articles on the disposal of Newspaper n V.
working dogs various articles Dulay
government agencies
Industry data 5private
7. Inquire from private security
on maximum Marlene security
agencies the maximum
utilization/servic F. Arato agencies
 Timeframe Person-
Activities Output Star End in- Remarks
t Dat Charge
Date e
utilization/service age of their e age of
working dogs. working dogs
8. Inquire from veterinary
Service life of 5
institutions on the on the Jeannely
working dogs veterinary
maximum utilization age and n V.
according to institution
service life of working dogs Dulay
their breeds s
according to their breeds
Data on optimal Marlene
living F. Arato
9. Conduct an interview of
conditions,
handlers and care providers to
trainings
determine the optimal living 10
needed to be
conditions of dogs, trainings handlers/
suitable for
needed for the dogs to be care
adoption and
suitable for adoption and providers
scenarios that
scenarios that would hinder the
would hinder
possibility of adoption.
the possibility of
adoption
10. Condu Jeannely
Analysis on the
ct an interview with n V.
pros and cons
organizations that offer Dulay
of contracting
retirement programs to discuss
an agreement
possibility of delegating the
with a third
process of attracting adopters
party
and assessment of their fitness
organization.
to adopt.
Marlene
F. Arato
11. Prepar
Options for
e options based on the data
evaluation Jeannely
gathered.
n V.
Dulay

Submitted by:

JEANNELYN V. DULAY MARLENE F. ARATO

State Auditor IV State Auditor III
OIC Supervising Auditor Audit Team Leader
Bureau of Jail Management AFP Modernization Program
National Government Sector National Government Sector

Confirmed and Recommending Approved by:

Approval:
IRMA S. BESAS SUSAN P. GARCIA
Director V Assistant Commissioner
Cluster IV National Government Sector
National Government Sector Commission on Audit