Commission on Audit

COA Commissioner Jose A. Fabia leads the ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the new Provincial Satellite Audit Office in Tarlac City on 6 March 2018. With him are COA Regional Office No. III Director Lynn SF. Sicangco, Congressman Victor A. Yap, Governor Susan A. Yap, Vice Governor Carlito David and Mayor Maria Cristina C. Angeles.
COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo and Batangas Governor Hermilando I. Mandanas sign the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the land donation that will be the site of the new Provincial Satellite Audit Office in Batangas City on 15 January 2018. Joining Chairperson Aguinaldo are Provincial Administrator Librado G. Dimaunahan, Legal Officer Atty. Cesar L. Castor, Sr. and COA Regional Office No. IV-A Director Mario G. Lipana.
COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo (far right) joins De La Salle University (DLSU) Jesse M. Robredo Institute of Governance Director Francisco A. Magno, World Bank Communications Officer Justine Espina-Letargo, Department of Budget and Management Secretary Benjamin E. Diokno, and Rep. Karlo Alexei B. Nograles in the panel that presented the 2017 Open Budget Survey results held at the DLSU on 13 February 2018. The Open Budget Survey results showed how the Philippines fared in budget transparency, participation and oversight in comparison with other countries.
Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo and Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang join the participants to the Training on Effective Investigation and Prosecution for the Commission on Audit and Office of the Ombudsman Joint Investigation Team held in Pampanga from 30 May to 2 June 2017. The training was sponsored by the USAID.
Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo and Taytay Rizal Mayor George Ricardo R. Gacula II sign the Memorandum of Agreement for the construction of the PSAO building on 20 June 2017. Joining them are Assistant Commissioner Rizalina Q. Mutia, Director Mario Lipana, and Atty. Stanlee Calma.
Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo receives former COA Commissioner Sofronio B. Ursal’s donation of seven volumes of good governance reference collection on 9 May 2017. The collection includes books on government auditing, local government taxation, barangay financial administration and revenue collection. Also in picture are Assistant Commissioners Alexander B. Juliano, Winnie Rose H. Encallado and Rizalina Q. Mutia, Director Carmelita O. Antasuda and Auditor Rosa Dela Cruz.
Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo and officials of the Commission welcome delegates from the Supreme Audit Institution of Vietnam and World Bank Hanoi on a study visit to the Philippines on 3 March2017. The participants discussed issues on environment audit.
COA officials conduct teleconferencing on Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) Performance Management Framework (PMF) with representatives of the INTOSAI Development Initiative (IDI) on 9 March 2017.
Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo was the keynote speaker and inducting officer at the Institute of Internal Auditors of the Philippines General Assembly on 15 February 2017. Chairperson Aguinaldo talked about the role of internal auditors in strengthening integrity and governance.

COA Showcases Auditing GAD funds at UN Commission on the Status of Women Side Event

Details: Published: 15 April 2016

COA Assistant Commissioner Lourdes M. Castillo (4th from right) with members of the Philippine Delegation to the 60th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. Also in picture is COA Director Fortunata M. Rubico (third from left).

The Commission on Audit (COA) showcased its pioneering work in the audit of Gender and Development (GAD) funds at the side event entitled “Show Me the Money: How Governments Allocate and Audit Funds to Achieve Gender Equality as a 2030 Sustainable Development Goal” during the 60th Session of the United Nations (UN) Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) held at the UN Headquarters in New York City on March 16, 2016.

The COA, together with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) as the lead agency and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), gave a holistic presentation on what the Philippine Government is doing to allocate funds for programs and projects geared towards greater women empowerment from planning and budgeting (DBM) to implementation and monitoring (DSWD for sample program) and audit and reporting (COA). The side event was sponsored by the Philippine Delegation to the 60th Session of the UNCSW.

COA Assistant Commissioner Lourdes M. Castillo talked about COA’s accomplishments in the audit of GAD allocated funds and the plan for a results-focused audit approach as the Commission’s commitment to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on Gender Equality under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Assistant Commissioner Lourdes M. Castillo gives a presentation entitled “Show Me The Outcomes: Ensuring Accountability on Gender Program Allocations Through Results-Focused Audit Approach” at the 60th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.

“We are humbled by the thought that we are one of the INTOSAI/ASOSAI member countries that has done pioneering work in the audit of gender-allotted funds. Committed to our mission, we will continue to oversee the strict implementation by all government agencies of the gender responsive policies, programs, projects and activities in the country,” Assistant Commissioner Castillo said.

“As the Philippine Government commits to the 2030 Agenda, COA would willingly join the convergence of the various implementing agencies. It has, in fact, started developing its own framework towards results-focused audit approach of GAD-related programs and activities through appropriate utilization of GAD-allotted funds. It will continue to be a leading pillar of transparent and accountable governance and a vibrant partner in nation-building,” she added. (To read the final paper, please click here)

COA successfully culminates audit of UNDP-supported projects for 2015

Details: Published: 13 April 2016

Commission on Audit (COA) Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Director Titon Mitra with COA officials and audit team members, and representatives from the UNDP, National Economic and Development Authority and implementing partners at the General Audit Debriefing on the FY 2015 Harmonized Approach To Cash Transfer (HACT) Transitional Audit Exercise on April 8, 2016.

The Commission on Audit (COA) successfully culminated the FY 2015 Harmonized Approach To Cash Transfer (HACT) Transitional Audit Exercise for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-supported projects and programmes.

COA presented the highlights of the audit and audit opinion rendered on the financial reports at an audit debriefing held at the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Boardroom in Pasig City on April 8, 2016.

The UNDP has sought the assistance of COA to provide annual audit services to UNDP supported projects and programmes. For the 2015 HACT Transitional Audit Exercise, audit teams focused on the areas of cash management, finance, asset management, procurement, general administration, human resource, assessment of the project’s internal control, and a general review of the project’s progress and timeliness in relation to progressed milestones and planned completion date.

Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo emphasized the valued partnership between UNDP and the COA while UNDP Country Director Titon Mitra welcomed the efforts of the audit teams in helping the UNDP ascertain the proper use of its resources.

As in the previous audits, COA is bound by the provisions of the Terms of Reference and guided by the UNDP Accounting Policies. In comparison with former UNDP audit exercises however, this present audit focused on the validation of almost 100% of the UNDP assets, exempting only those that are impractical to validate. COA Assistant Commissioner Susan P. Garcia is the Project Manager.

COA, UNDP, and NEDA officials with implementing partners consisting of various government agencies and intergovernmental/non-government organizations and COA audit teams attended the event. # – with report from Jennifer Andrea S. Imperial

LBP, COA officials discuss new check image clearing system

Details: Published: 11 April 2016

Land Bank of the Philippines Assistant Vice President Reynaldo C. Copa explains the features of the new Check Image Clearing System at a presentation before COA officials and auditors on April 7, 2016.

Officials of the Commission on Audit (COA) and representatives from the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) discussed the various features and issues relating to the new Check Image Clearing System (CICS) to provide faster movement of funds and reduce or eliminate fraud at a presentation held at the COA CP Boardroom on April 7, 2016.

In the new CICS, a deposited check will be scanned and its electronic payment information and image will be transmitted throughout the entire clearing cycle. The original physical check will be removed from the clearing process. The new system is part of the Philippine Clearing House Corp. (PCHC)’s automated clearing system that integrates the CICS with the Electronic Fund Transfer Network.

LBP Assistant Vice President Reynaldo C. Copa, in his presentation, said the system will address geographical limitation by eliminating movement of physical paper, streamline the process and create a faster & more secured payment exchange environment.

“This new system will reduce the number of days for a check to be cleared. For instance, if a check deposited within cut-off time or 3 pm today, funds will be made available for withdrawal by 3 pm the next day. There will also be controls put in place to protect the integrity of the scanned checks,” Mr. Copa said.

The six minimum mandatory check security features are: security fibers (visible & invisible), embedded watermark of the PCHC logo, microprint of bank initials along the signatory line, microprint of the security printer’s name along the date line, “Copy” pantograph, and erasable ultraviolet (UV) ink/UV security features. To protect the payee, a drawer’s conformity statement will be included. The new checks will be launched by July 2016.

COA officials, for their part, expressed concern regarding the legality of the scanned checks as evidence, other requirements of investigating bodies and additional security features of the new check clearing system. COA officials said the rules of evidence should catch up with this new development in the banking system.

The LBP representatives also asked COA to revisit COA Circular No. 2012-005 on Prescribing the use of Punong Barangay Certification (PBC) and COA Auditor’s Advice (CAA) which provides, among others, the preparation of the CAA to a Government Servicing Bank holding further payment of checks issued by a barangay that has not submitted a copy of the PBC and other required documents. LBP and COA officials discussed various ways by which barangays can avoid being penalized a hefty amount for stop payments but must still be able to comply with the required documents.

Other LBP officials who attended the presentation were Vice President Ma. Eloisa C. Dayrit (Head, Banking Services Group), Vice President Ana S. Concha (Head, System Implementation Dept.), Mr. Raymond Santos of the System Implementation Dept. and COA-LBP branch manager Lourdes E. Flor. #