One hundred thirty nine (139) officials and employees of the Commission on Audit Regional Satellite Auditing Office - Negros Island and Siquijor (COA RSAO-NIS) led by Atty. Chito C. Janaban, Director-in-Charge, renewed their commitment to uphold integrity during the recital of the Integrity Pledge in a ceremony administered by COA Commissioner Roland C. Pondoc on 10 July 2019 at the Acacia Hotel, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

Officials and employees of COA RSAO NIS take the Integrity Pledge oath before COA Commissioner Roland C. Pondoc on 10 July 2019 at the Acacia Hotel, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

The Integrity Pledge is an oath of commitment and dedication to public service by employees of the Commission as part of COA’s Integrity Management Program aimed at strengthening the moral uprightness of COA employees.

Commissioner Pondoc emphasized that “integrity” is manifested in how a person lives his life daily under difficult circumstances yet chooses the hard decision to do what is right. “Integrity means doing the right thing at all times and in all circumstances, whether or not anyone is watching,” he quoted from Amy Rees Anderson’s Forbes article citing further that “success will come and go, but integrity is forever.” Commissioner Pondoc also challenged everyone to embrace the tenets of the Commission’s leadership that integrity, transparency and the fight against corruption must be reinforced as part of the culture in COA being among COA’s fundamental values.

The Commission on Audit (COA) Regional Office No. VI spearheaded the contract signing and groundbreaking ceremonies for the construction of the Provincial Satellite Auditing Office (PSAO) in Guimaras on 26 June 2019. COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo and Guimaras Governor Samuel T. Gumarin led the ceremony. Vice-Governor Atty. John Edward G. Gando, local officials of the Province and COA Regional Director Chona P. Labrague, with the supervising auditors, service chiefs, auditors of COA Regional Office No. VI, and representatives from the COA Central Office were also around to witness the event.

COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo with Guimaras Governor Samuel T. Gumarin, Vice-Governor John Edward G. Gando, and COA Regional Director Chona P. Labrague lead the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Provincial Satellite Auditing Office in Guimaras.

Chairperson Aguinaldo acknowledged the generosity of the Province of Guimaras, emphasizing that the construction of the PSAO symbolizes COA’s independence but recognizing that the support of the Province of Guimaras shows interdependence among the different offices of government. He also pointed out that COA should not only be a watchdog but also a guardian angel ready to assist and educate its auditees.

The Chamber of Accounts of the Republic of Azerbaijan hosted the 2019 Annual Meeting of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) Working Group on Public Debt (WGPD) in 23-25 May. The meeting was attended by fifty three (53) participants from 27 member-SAIs and guest speakers from the World Bank and the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy (ADA) University. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was also represented via virtual participation.