Tribute to slain COAns highlights celebration of Women’s Month

Published: 31 March 2014

The Commission on Audit (COA) welcomed this year’s Women’s Month Celebration with a special tribute on March 3, 2014 for fellow auditors who have died in the line of duty.

The program began with a heart-warming rendition of Fr. Manoling Francisco’s “Likhain Mo" sung by the COA Choir. COA Commissioner Heidi L. Mendoza then recited an original poem in commemoration of our dearly departed COAns:

 …Dakila ang mahimlay sa pakikipaglaban

Kaysa manatiling kinikitil ng katiwalian

Sa bala nagtatapos ang akala ng ilan

Ang matuwid na buhay ay magpakailanman!

Commissioner Mendoza, together with Assistant Commissioner Lourdes M. Castillo, COA Gender and Development (GAD) Committee Chairperson, led the ground-breaking of the first-ever COA-GAD marker. “In this never-ending war against corruption, as in any war, there will be casualties and it is but fitting that we put up something to remember them by,” said Assistant Commissioner Arcadio B. Cuenco, Jr.

A video tribute for the late Esther Galarosa and other deceased COAns was also shown during the program followed by the opening of the exhibit dubbed “Pagtatanghal ng mga Kaisipan, Damdamin at Alaala ng Kababaihan.” This exhibit, featuring art works with women as subjects, will be shown for the whole month of March. It showcases original paintings of Director Flerida A. Jimenez and Robert Janiva, and other artwork contributions from Sally Velasquez, Tinne Castillo, Paula Manipol, Jen Imperial and Commissioner Mendoza.

As part of the month-long celebration, COAns also participated in the attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest formation of the women symbol at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila on March 8. This gathering of more than ten thousand Filipinos was organized by the Philippine Commission on Women who spearheaded the 2014 Women’s Month Celebration with the theme “Juana, ang Tatag Mo ay Tatag Natin sa Pagbangon at Pagsulong!”

A seminar on gender-sensitive disaster risk reduction management was held at the SAADO Auditorium on March 20, 2014. This seminar was conducted by B. Gen. Marcelo B. Javier, Jr., Division Commander, 15thInfantry Division, Ready Reserve, National Capital Region-Regional Community Defense Group, Army Reserve Command.

Assistant Commissioner Castillo closed the celebration with a short speech during the flag raising ceremony on March 31 in which she thanked everyone who supported the events

 

Almost 200 COAns joined their counterparts in public service to formthe largest women’s symbol at the Quirino Grandstand on March 8, 2014. The event was expected to make it to the Guinness World Records book.
B. Gen. Marcelo B. Javier, Jr. gives survival pointers and other safety precautions during disasters at a seminar on gender-sensitive disaster risk reduction management held at the SAADO Auditorium on March 20, 2014