The Commission on Audit (COA), the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) of the Philippines, led the Annual Meeting of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) Working Group on Public Debt (WGPD) held on 5 to 7 June 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan. COA Chairperson Gamaliel A. Cordoba chaired the 3-day event of the INTOSAI WGPD.

The WGPD’s mandate stems from one of the three Goal Committees of the INTOSAI Knowledge Sharing and Knowledge Services. It is tasked to prepare and publish guidelines and other materials for use by SAIs to encourage the proper reporting and sound management of public debt; identify key issues for the development of responsibilities and procedures for auditing and evaluating public debt commitments; and exchange knowledge with other institutions dealing with public debt issues, among others.

The 2024 Azerbaijan Meet focuses on the theme “Responding to the Global Challenges of Public Debt.” Delegates from 28 member-SAIs discussed issues such as the capacity gap among auditors in the Audit of Public Debt and Public Debt Management and SAI’s challenges in the audit of debt sustainability. Expert resource persons from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and the International Budget Partnership shared their experiences and expertise in the domain of public debt.

The Commission on Audit (COA) recently entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Regional Office No. IV-A for the skills training of administrative personnel of the Commission.

(left to right): COA Director Mary Joyce G. Eruma, Assistant Commissioner Fortunata M. Rubico, TESDA RO IV-A Regional Director Baron Jose L. Lagran, and TESDA Cavite Provincial Director Rosalinda B. Talavera sign the MOA between the COA and the TESDA RO IV-A on 15 April 2024 at the COA International Training Center and Dormitory in Tagaytay City.