Commission on Audit (COA) Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo was honored with the 2021 Distinguished Public Service Award from the Government Financial Management Innovators Circle (GFMIC), Inc. on 18 November 2021 as part of its Annual Membership Conference held on 18-19 November 2021 via Zoom platform.

GFMIC is an organization of government financial management professionals who utilize information and communications technology as a tool for productivity, transparency, and accountability.

GFMIC bestowed the prestigious award to Chairperson Aguinaldo in recognition of his remarkable achievements and notable service in the Commission and contribution to enhancing transparency and accountability in public service. Chairperson Aguinaldo spearheaded the implementation of a comprehensive, dynamic, and innovative seven-year strategic plan improving government audit, adjudication, and investigatory functions, government accounting, administration, and support to operations and engagement of stakeholders.

GFMIC acknowledged the Chairperson's exemplary leadership and expertise in governance and implementation of notable projects, which included the full implementation of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards and applicable Philippine Financial Reporting Standards, with far-reaching effects on the promotion of efficient, effective and transparent government operations. Chairperson Aguinaldo was also recognized by the international audit community, having been elected as the External Auditor of the International Labour Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization, World Health Organization, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization as well as Chairperson of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions Working Group on Public Debt, Governing Board Member of the Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions and Chairperson of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Supreme Audit Institutions Training Committee.

The Commission on Audit (COA), the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) of the Philippines, recently assumed the Vice Chairmanship of the ASEAN Supreme Audit Institutions (ASEANSAI) for the term 2021-2023 during the 6th ASEANSAI Summit held virtually on 2 November 2021, hosted by the Office of the Auditor General of the Union of Myanmar. SAI Philippines also retains its Chairmanship of the ASEANSAI Training Committee (TC) for biennium 2022-2023, with the SAIs of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand as members.

Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo, together with Commissioner Roland C. Pondoc, led the Philippine delegation that also included Assistant Commissioner Cora Lea A. Dela Cruz of the Professional and Institutional Development Sector. The nine Auditors-General of the ASEANSAI, the Head of ASEANSAI Secretariat from SAI Indonesia, representatives from development partners and technical support staff from respective SAIs were also present during the Summit.

In his acceptance speech as the Vice Chairperson of the ASEANSAI, Chairperson Aguinaldo said that “the new ASEANSAI Strategic Goals of Fostering capacity development, Intensifying knowledge sharing, Strengthening cooperation and Improving internal governance exist because we believe that these are going to bring our organization to a new frontier, but I must also underline that as we progress, we must ensure that no one is left behind.  For me, this is the spirit of cooperation and international understanding that further potentiates our mission.”

In COA’s capacity as the incoming Vice Chair, Chairperson Aguinaldo also presented the Consolidated ASEANSAI Committees’ Work Plans for 2022-2023, the activities and main deliverables of which are tied up with a specific strategic goal in the organization’s Strategic Plan for 2022 – 2025.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Commission on Audit (COA) Provincial Satellite Auditing Office (PSAO) in Baybay City, Leyte was held on 15 October 2021. PSAO-Baybay is the fifth PSAO building in Eastern Visayas.

COA Regional Director Lita A. Estil-Diez and Wemia P. Seno, OIC-Supervising Auditor of Local Government Sector C- Leyte II with Mayor Jose Carlos L. Cari and Vice Mayor Ernesto C. Butawan, led the ceremony. The event was also attended by the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Baybay, COA Region VIII officials, personnel and local auditors.

COA Regional Director Lita A. Estil-Diez with Mayor Jose Carlos L. Cari, Vice Mayor Ernesto M. Butawan and OIC-Supervising Auditor Wemia P. Seno lead the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Provincial Satellite Auditing Office in Baybay City, Leyte.