The Commission on Audit (COA) hosted the 4^th Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) and 2^nd Senior Officials’ (SOM) Meetings of the Association of South East Asian Nations Supreme Audit Institutions (ASEANSAI) from August 26 to 31, 2013.

ASEANSAI Chairman Mr. Hadi Poernomo, Chairman of the Audit Board of Indonesia, underscored the significance of the Manila meetings since the participants finalized the draft Strategic Plan 2014-2017 which will be the ASEANSAI’s guide in carrying out its mandate for the next four years. The meetings also discussed important issues on rules and procedures that will affect the way ASEANSAI conducts its business.

In his opening remarks, read by Secretariat Head Mr. Hendar Ristriawan of Indonesia, Mr. Poernomo emphasized that the ASEANSAI must have operational rules and procedures to ensure the accomplishment of all its plans.

COA Commissioner Heidi L. Mendoza, for her part, emphasized the need for a stronger ASEANSAI working as one towards ensuring public accountability and governance.

“It is indeed true, that there are things we can plan for, there are things that are certainly in our control and for these reasons we are here. Although there are things that are beyond our strength and beyond our control, I guess we all agree that we can count together and work on it as we pray for a stronger community of SAI, for an organization of men and women who will fight hard in order to preserve public funds,” Commissioner Mendoza said.

The Commissioner welcomed the 36 delegates from 10 member SAIs in behalf of COA Chairperson Maria Gracia M. Pulido Tan. The meetings were also attended by representatives from the GIZ, Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.