March 18, 2013 – As the nation celebrates Women’s Month, the third woman to complete an all-women Commission on Audit (COA) aptly promised to give priority to gender and development.
Newly appointed COA Commissioner Maria Rowena Amelia V. Guanzon, known as a litigation lawyer in the pioneer field of gender discrimination and violence against women, took her oath of office before Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno today.
The Commission on Audit (COA) commended five state auditors whose testimonies and exemplary audit work secured the Sandiganbayan convictions of former education and air force officials in separate graft cases.
State Auditors Araceli P. Geli, Joel C. Digal, Carlos C. Tagudin and Cresilda T. Caballero were recognized for their commendable audit work, skill and judgment that aided the conviction of two former officials of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) for involvement in various overpriced, ghost and uncompleted projects in Region XI.
The Philippine Commission on Audit (COA) will host Asian leaders in the field of government audit at the 46th Governing Board (GB) Meeting of the Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) from February 17-21, 2013.
COA Chairperson Maria Gracia M. Pulido Tan will join her counter parts from India, Korea, Japan, Bangladesh, China, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Turkey to discuss international audit standards, transparency and other pressing issues in international audit.
The Commission on Audit (COA) clarified that Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) is not a discretionary fund.
COA Chairperson Ma. Gracia M. Pulido Tan, in her reply to the first letter of Senator Miriam Santiago, said that under Section 63 of the General Appropriations Act (GAA), MOOE appropriations may only be used for the purposes specified and listed in the GAA. In the case of the Senate, these are general administration and support, legislative services and operational requirements of 35 congressional commissions and oversight committees listed in the GAA.