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 Commissioner Pondoc breezes through confirmation process

Details: Published: 16 March 2018

The nomination of Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Roland Café Pondoc passed the scrutiny of the Committee on Constitutional Commissions and Offices and was confirmed by the Commission on Appointments during its plenary session on 14 March 2018.

New COA Commissioner Roland C. Pondoc (3rd from left) is joined by (from left) Rep. Sandy Ocampo, Rep. Roy M. Loyola, COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, COA Commissioner Jose A. Fabia and Senate Auditor Olympia Balugay.

Commissioner Pondoc was nominated by President Rodrigo R. Duterte to the Commission on 6 February 2018 for a seven-year term expiring 2 February 2025 vice Atty. Isabel B. Dasalla-Agito. His nomination breezed through the confirmation process without any opposition from the Committee members.

Committee Chairperson Senator Cynthia A. Villar’s speech for the confirmation of Commissioner Pondoc’s nomination, delivered by Congressman Rodolfo T. Albano III, said that “it is our solemn duty to confirm all those persons who shall guard the peoples’ fund with vigilance, competence and integrity and that is the reason that the Committee on Constitutional Commissions and Offices is convinced that Atty. Roland Café Pondoc, with his intelligence, experience and passion, is worthy to be appointed as Commissioner of the Commission on Audit.”

COA enhances Strategic Goals to highlight direct relation to mandate

Details: Published: 09 March 2018

The Commission on Audit (COA) enhanced its Strategic Goals under the 2016-2022 Strategic Plan to highlight its bodies of work in direct relation to the Commission’s mandate.

To emphasize the higher level outcomes that the Commission seeks to pursue, two previous goals: Create Positive Impact and Enable and Empower Agencies, became part of COA’s Strategic Pillars together with Enhancing Independence. These Pillars support all of the strategic goals.

The six enhanced strategic goals under the 2016-2022 Strategic Plan and their respective Goal Champions are:

A. Improve the Quality and Timeliness of Audits- Assistant Commissioner Rizalina Q. Mutia

B. Enhance the Discharge of Adjudication and Investigatory Functions- Assistant Commissioner Elizabeth S. Zosa

C. Improve government Accountancy Services - Assistant Commissioner Lourdes M. Castillo

D. Strengthen Support to Operations - Assistant Commissioner Luz L. Tolentino

E. Improve General Administration and Support Services - Assistant Commissioner Rufina S. Laquindanum

F. Enhance Engagement and Cooperation with Stakeholders - Assistant Commissioner Carmela S. Perez

“Our strategic plan is not cast in stone. It is a work in progress,” observed COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo. The Chairperson emphasized the importance of making adjustments and reminded everyone that what translates in the field does not always correlate to what was planned and discussed. He said the Commission’s long-term target is to improve government operations.

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.