MANILA, Philippines, November 28, 2013 – The Commission on Audit (COA) celebrated today the first anniversary of its Citizen Participatory Audit (CPA) Project, the Commission’s transparency initiative recently awarded as the "Bright Spot" of the 2013 Open Government Partnership Summit in London.

In her keynote address, COA Chairperson Maria Gracia M. Pulido Tan said, "I have always believed that all of us in government are ultimately accountable to the people we serve. They have the constitutional right to know if their money is being spent properly and judiciously by their public servants. This CPA Project has been designed to do just that – to directly engage citizens in accounting for the effectiveness and efficiency of government projects."

The Commission on Audit (COA) is the Philippines Supreme Audit Institution. It is a fiscally autonomous and constitutionally independent institution headed by a Chairperson whose rank is equivalent to Auditor-General.

The Constitution gives COA the power and duty to audit and settle all government accounts, the authority to define the scope of its audit, report the financial condition and operation of Government, keep its general accounts and, as a quasi-judicial body, decide cases brought before it.

The Constitution gives COA the power and duty to audit and settle all government accounts, the authority to define the scope of its audit, report the financial condition and operation of Government, keep its general accounts and, as a quasi-judicial body, decide cases brought before it.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM. The Philippines is the first recipient of the Bright Spots Award at this year's Open Government Partnership (OGP) Summit held on October 31 to November 1, 2013. The country bested six other countries (Chile, Estonia, Georgia, Indonesia, Montenegro and Romania) that also showcased transparency projects geared toward improving government efficiency and accountability.

The Philippine entry for the Bright Spots Award is the Commission on Audit's Citizen Participatory Audit (CPA) Project. Launched on November 26, 2012, the CPA Project aims to increase awareness and government transparency through citizen involvement in the audit process. It is a constructive and collaborative partnership between the government and citizens through civil society organizations (CSOs).

The Commission on Audit’s Citizen Participatory Audit, a priority project initiated by Chairperson Maria Gracia M. Pulido Tan, was nominated for the “Bright Spots” prize of the Open Government Partnership. The other shortlisted projects came from Chile, Estonia, Georgia, Indonesia, Montenegro and Romania. For more details, read the news released by the Cabinet Office Press Office, Whitehall London.