News Release | Commission on Audit

COA levels up gender mainstreaming efforts as it joins celebration of 2018 National Women’s Month

Published: 5 March 2018

The Commission on Audit (COA) moves to level up its gender mainstreaming efforts as it joins the national celebration of 2018 National Women’s Month spearheaded by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) this March with the theme “WE Make Change work for Women.”

After ranking first among government agencies assessed by the PCW for their gender mainstreaming efforts in 2016, the Commission leveled up its Gender and Development (GAD) programs including the continuous improvement in the audit of GAD funds, active participation in GAD-related events such as the 61st Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York City and the issuance of policies such as the establishment of the Women Help Desk of the COA GAD Focal Point System (GFPS).

The Commission garnered an over-all score of 81.23 which is equivalent to Level 4, meaning the Commission’s GAD efforts reached the Commitment Enhancement and Institutionalization level. COA was the only government agency to have reached Level 4 using the Enhanced Gender Mainstreaming Evaluation Framework.

“To make change work for women, we need to level up our gender mainstreaming efforts to empower women as decision makers and contributors to development as well as implement the Magna Carta of Women at all levels. It takes our combined endeavor and determination to make changes that are truly responsive to the issues that women and men face,” said COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo.

“We in the COA play a crucial role in this mission by making sure that GAD funds are properly and judiciously spent by government and that GAD programs implemented by government agencies have value to their beneficiaries,” he added.

Published: 20 February 2018

The Commission on Audit (COA) held three Citizen Participatory Audit (CPA) Dialogues with civil society organizations (CSOs), state universities and colleges, higher education institutions, development partners, and the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA).

The CPA Dialogues are conducted for the purpose of fostering an open space for the COA, citizens, and other external stakeholders to share visions and aspirations, goals and objectives; information on risks and areas to be focused on in audit, and knowledge, talents, expertise and resources that they have and can share; to provide information on their respective needs to enable them to better work together as partners; and, to present their concerns and together identify possible ways to address them.

These were held at the SAADO Auditorium on 12 December 2017, at the COA Regional Training Center in San Fernando, Pampanga on 10 January 2018, and at the COA Professional Development Center (PDC) in Quezon City on 18 January 2018.

Published: 15 February 2018

The Commission on Audit (COA) extends its warmest congratulations to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and the Department of Finance (DOF) for being the first Philippine government agency to formally and publicly adopt an Internal Audit Charter for its Internal Audit Service (IAS) that is compliant with global principles and standards in internal auditing under the Philippine Internal Auditing Framework for the Public Sector adopted in COA Resolution No. 2016-016 dated September 30, 2016.

The crafting of the Department of Finance Internal Audit Service Charter through Department Order 02-2018 is in line with the Philippine Internal Auditing Framework for the Public Sector adopted by COA in compliance with its Constitutional duty to evaluate the adequacy of internal control systems of the audited agencies and to take such measures as are necessary and appropriate to correct the deficiencies (Section 2, Article IX-D, 1987 Constitution).

“The Commission hopes that the creation of DOF's IAS Charter will encourage other Philippine government agencies to start institutionalizing IAS as mandated by Republic Act (RA) 3456 or the Internal Auditing Act of 1962 and amended by RA 4177, and make them compliant with global principles and standards in internal auditing,” COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo said. “This will enhance the promotion of transparency and good governance to ensure better delivery of public services which will hopefully lead to a better life for every Filipino,” he added.

COA developed the Philippine Internal Auditing and the Philippine Internal Control Frameworks for the Public Sector to provide guidelines essential for the professional practice of internal auditing and for establishing, implementing and maintaining effective internal control in all government agencies. It is upon these guidelines that the internal control systems adopted by the government agencies shall be evaluated pursuant to COA’s Constitutional mandate. #

Published: 9 February 2018

Commission on Audit, Quezon City – Following a long but successful career of public service in the Commission on Audit (COA), Commissioner Isabel D. Agito retired on 2 February 2018. She was appointed as Commissioner of COA on 15 January 2016 to serve the remaining term of former COA Commissioner Heidi L. Mendoza who was appointed Under-Secretary-General for the United Nations Internal Oversight Services.

Commissioner Isabel D. Agito expresses her appreciation and gratitude to the COA family for 42 years of working together at the tribute ceremony held in honor of her retirement on 31 January 2018.