Commission on Audit

Officials of the Commission on Audit (COA) welcome civil society delegates of the Integrity Watch Afghanistan during a learning visit in the country from 25 to 27 June 2018. They discussed the design and implementation of the COA’s Citizen Participatory Audit program.
COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo receives a certificate of appreciation from the Asian Confederation of Institutes of Internal Auditors (ACIIA) after the plenary session held at the Philippine International Convention Center, Pasay City on 21-22 June 2018. ACIIA was represented by (from left) ACIIA Public Sector Forum for Internal Auditors Chairperson Helen T. de Guzman, Association of Government Internal Auditors President Josie Jane C. Ablir and Institute of Internal Auditors - Philippines Chairman and President Joseph Ian M. Canlas.
(From left to right) Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Roland C. Pondoc, COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo, 7th district of Cavite Congressman Abraham N. Tolentino, COA Regional Office IV-A Director Mario G. Lipana, and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region IV-A Director Samson L. Hebra during the Groundbreaking Ceremony of the COA International Training Center in Tagaytay City on 21 June 2018.
COA participants at the Technical Evaluation of Infrastructure Project workshop after their successful training held at the Professional and Institutional Development Sector on 20 June 2018.
International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board Chairperson Ian Carruthers (far right) accepts a token from Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Roland C. Pondoc while COA Assistant Commissioner for the Government Accountancy Sector Lourdes M. Castillo and Board of Accountancy Chairperson Joel L. Tan-Torres look on during the forum on public sector accounting and financial reporting held on 31 May 2018 at the COA Professional Development Center Auditorium.
(From left to right) Royal Audit Authority (RAA) of Bhutan Assistant Auditor General Dorji Wangchuk, Ms. Sharon C. Contarciego, Ms. Ma. Theresa S. Alfanza, RAA Bhutan Senior Dzongkha Coordinator Namgay Lhendup, RAA Bhutan Senior Audit Officer Tashi Lhamo, COA Assistant Commissioner Luz L. Tolentino, RAA Bhutan Deputy Auditor General Prem Mani Pradhan, RAA Bhutan Program Officer Kangchen Karma, Ms. Arlexandria Louise F. Cariño of the Office of the COA Commissioner, RAA Bhutan Assistant Auditor General Kencho Dorji, and RAA Bhutan Program Officer Sangay Tenzin during RAA officials’ study visit on 30 May 2018.
Commission on Audit (COA) officials welcome students from the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance during their study visit on 22 May 2018
Ms. Jacquelyn Williams-Bridgers, Chief of Party, Integrity for Investments Initiative, Philippines, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), receives a certificate of appreciation from the Commission on Audit presented by COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo, COA Commissioner Jose A. Fabia, and Commissioner Roland C. Pondoc during the close-out ceremony for USAID’s Integrity for Investments Initiative (i3)
COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo signs the Internal Auditing Standards for the Philippine Public Sector (IASPPS) with Philippine Application Guidelines (PAG) and Internal Control Standards for the Philippine Public Sector (ICSPPS) during the launch of the Standards at the Commission on Audit on 12 April 2018. Witnesses to the signing are COA Commissioners Jose A. Fabia and Roland C. Pondoc and officials of the Association of Government Internal Auditors and Institute of Internal Auditors – Philippines.

COA levels up gender mainstreaming efforts as it joins celebration of 2018 National Women’s Month

Details: Published: 05 March 2018

The Commission on Audit (COA) moves to level up its gender mainstreaming efforts as it joins the national celebration of 2018 National Women’s Month spearheaded by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) this March with the theme “WE Make Change work for Women.”

After ranking first among government agencies assessed by the PCW for their gender mainstreaming efforts in 2016, the Commission leveled up its Gender and Development (GAD) programs including the continuous improvement in the audit of GAD funds, active participation in GAD-related events such as the 61st Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York City and the issuance of policies such as the establishment of the Women Help Desk of the COA GAD Focal Point System (GFPS).

The Commission garnered an over-all score of 81.23 which is equivalent to Level 4, meaning the Commission’s GAD efforts reached the Commitment Enhancement and Institutionalization level. COA was the only government agency to have reached Level 4 using the Enhanced Gender Mainstreaming Evaluation Framework.

“To make change work for women, we need to level up our gender mainstreaming efforts to empower women as decision makers and contributors to development as well as implement the Magna Carta of Women at all levels. It takes our combined endeavor and determination to make changes that are truly responsive to the issues that women and men face,” said COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo.

“We in the COA play a crucial role in this mission by making sure that GAD funds are properly and judiciously spent by government and that GAD programs implemented by government agencies have value to their beneficiaries,” he added.

COA, civil society hold dialogues to enhance citizen participation in public audit and in capacity building activities

Details: Published: 20 February 2018

The Commission on Audit (COA) held three Citizen Participatory Audit (CPA) Dialogues with civil society organizations (CSOs), state universities and colleges, higher education institutions, development partners, and the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA).

The CPA Dialogues are conducted for the purpose of fostering an open space for the COA, citizens, and other external stakeholders to share visions and aspirations, goals and objectives; information on risks and areas to be focused on in audit, and knowledge, talents, expertise and resources that they have and can share; to provide information on their respective needs to enable them to better work together as partners; and, to present their concerns and together identify possible ways to address them.

These were held at the SAADO Auditorium on 12 December 2017, at the COA Regional Training Center in San Fernando, Pampanga on 10 January 2018, and at the COA Professional Development Center (PDC) in Quezon City on 18 January 2018.

COA adopts international framework to measure performance

Details: Published: 01 February 2018

The Commission on Audit (COA) thrives in a culture of excellence and in order to ensure that its services are at par with the international audit community, the Commission adopted the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) Performance Measurement Framework (PMF) to measure the Commission’s performance through COA Resolution No. 2017-023 on 21 December 2017.

The SAI PMF is an international framework for self, peer, or external assessment of a SAI’s performance against the International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions and other established international good practices. It is applicable to all types of SAIs regardless of organizational model, mandate, national context and development level.

The SAI PMF was adopted by the INTOSAI during the XXII Congress held in December 2016 in Abu Dhabi. However, a key principle of the framework is that the assessment is voluntary, and that it is the Head of the SAI that makes all key decisions about the assessment.

“Adopting this framework is important for us to gauge our performance of our audit and non-audit functions and the strength of our legal mandates and environment. It will also help us identify areas that we need to improve on and accordingly adjust our capacity-building programs,” said COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo.

“By showing our commitment to adhere to the highest international standards, we are also contributing to better quality public services that will ultimately benefit society,” added the Chairperson.

COA Assistant Commissioner Luz L. Tolentino briefs COA officials and auditors on the new Supreme Audit Institution Performance Measurement Framework (SAI PMF) on 20 December 2017. The SAI PMF is an international framework for self, peer, or external assessment of a Supreme Audit Institution’s performance against established international standards.