Commission on Audit (COA) Chairperson Maria Gracia M. Pulido Tan shared about the Philippine experience on Citizen Participatory Audit (CPA) at the South Asian Regional Virtual Learning Series of the World Bank Institute (WBI) on June 10, 2014.

Through video conferencing, Chairperson Pulido Tan discussed how the CPA was conceptualized, the ways by which non-government stakeholders engage in the audit process, and various joint capacity building activities undertaken by the COA. She presented before her counterparts in the Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

“This is a priority program, founded on the premise that public accountability can prosper only with a vigilant citizenry,” Chairperson Pulido Tan said.

Chairperson Pulido Tan elaborated on some of the results of three pilot audits on the CAMANAVA Flood Control Project, the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) and Barangay Health Centers, and the Solid Waste Management Project of Quezon City. She also gave inputs on the steps to institutionalize the program.

Through the CPA, audits are conducted with citizen representatives included in the team to educate citizens in the audit process and encourage vigilant participation in exacting government accountability. The audit is under the direct supervision and control of the COA.

Assistant Auditor General Mr. Babu Ram Gautam of Nepal also shared the roadmap of citizen engagement in Nepal focusing on how the process begun, the merits in citizen engagement and capacity support and platform collaboration.

Ms. Carolina Vaira of the WBI served as moderator of the learning series. # - Liza Cabalfin

COA Chairperson Maria Gracia M. Pulido Tan discusses the value of citizen engagement with members of the Nepal SAI during the Advancing Public Participation in the Audit Process South Asian Regional Virtual Learning Series of the World Bank Institute.