“A house is made of walls and beams, a home is made of hopes and dreams.”

To maintain the independence that fosters integrity among its ranks, the Commission on Audit planned for the total withdrawal of auditors residing within auditee-agency's roofs by building Provincial Satellite Auditing Offices (PSAO) nationwide.

The PSAO for the Province of Eastern Samar located at the Capitol Site in Borongan City was recently inaugurated with COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo and Commissioner Roland C. Pondoc leading the ceremony which included the unveiling of the PSAO marker and the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo and Commissioner Roland C. Pondoc with Eastern Samar Governor Marcelo Ferdinand A. Picardal lead the inauguration of the Provincial Satellite Auditing Office in Borongan City, Eastern Samar.

Chairperson Aguinaldo highlighted the building as a symbol of independence and the Commission's initiative to detach residency from client agencies but emphasized that this does not sever COA's partnership with the local government in nation building. Consequently, the Chairperson reiterated his principle that auditors are partners and enablers of government in perfoming their mandates better.

COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo and Assistant Commissioners Wilfredo A. Agito and Joseph B. Anacay led the ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the inauguration of the new Provincial Satellite Auditing Office (PSAO) in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental on 25 April 2019.

Meanwhile, the groundbreaking ceremony for the PSAO in Siquijor was held on 26 April 2019 at the Provincial Capitol Area. The PSAO buildings will be the new home of the different local, national, and corporate audit teams assigned in Negros Oriental and Siquijor.

COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo with Assistant Commissioners Wilfredo A. Agito and Joseph B. Anacay lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the inauguration of the new Provincial Satellite Auditing Office in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. Joining them are COA Regional Satellite Audit Office - Negros Island and Siquijor Director Atty. Chito C. Janaban, Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Antonio B. Remollo and Province of Negros Oriental Governor Roel R. Degamo.

Chairperson Aguinaldo emphasized that the PSAO is symbolic of COA’s independence. He stressed the importance of the Commission’s partnership with other agencies, being a part of the entire government machinery with each agency playing their respective roles to deliver the best public service. “The ultimate role of our Philippine government is the promotion of the general welfare of all citizens and inhabitants of the country, to which COA’s role is merely part,” said the Chairperson, as he quoted the notable lines of former Commissioner Sofronio B. Ursal.

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Commission on Audit (COA) Batangas Provincial Satellite Auditing Office (PSAO) was held on 23 April 2019 at the Provincial Sports Complex Compound, Brgy. Bolbok, Batangas City.

COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo with Batangas Governor Hermilando I. Mandanas led the ceremony which was also attended by officials from the COA Central and Regional Offices, Batangas auditors and local government officials.

COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo leads the groundbreaking ceremony for the Provincial Satellite Auditing Office in Batangas. With him are Batangas Governor Hermilando I. Mandanas and COA Region IV-A Director Mario G. Lipana and Assistant Director Maria Oliva V. Ortega.

The COA Batangas PSAO to be erected is a two-storey building with a floor area of 800 square meters that will officially house the auditors of all sectors (corporate, national and local) in Batangas. The usufruct of the 3,000 square meter lot wherein it will be built was awarded by the Provincial Government of Batangas for 50 years, renewable for another 50 years.

Governor Mandanas shared his own experiences in his first job as an auditor. Himself a Certified Public Accountant, Governor Mandanas gave importance to the values of independence, consistency and materiality; that auditors must always be guided by the rules, taking into consideration the principle of cost and benefits.

Officials and personnel of the Commission on Audit (COA) Regional Offices No. IV-A and IV-B committed to Integrity as a way of life during the Integrity Pledge ceremony held at the COA Cultural and Sports Complex.

COA Commissioners Jose A. Fabia and Roland C. Pondoc administered the oath taking to 423 officials and personnel of COA Region IV-A led by Regional Director Mario G. Lipana and Assistant Regional Director Maria Oliva V. Ortega on 1 March 2019.

Meanwhile, 277 COA Region IV-B personnel led by Regional Director Ma. Corazon S. Gomez and Assistant Regional Director Lynflor M. Adolfo, five employees from COA Region IV-A, and one from the Professional and Institutional Development Sector took their Integrity oath before Commissioner Pondoc on 26 March 2019.

Commissioner Roland C. Pondoc administers the Integrity Pledge to COA Region IV-B officials and personnel on 26 March 2019.

The Integrity Pledge is part of the activities implemented by the COA Integrity Management Committee under the COA Intensified Management Program on Integrity which aims to build a culture of integrity in the Commission, rooted in the strict adherence to established laws and regulations. The signed Integrity Pledge will form part of the 201 files of the participants.