News Release | Commission on Audit

COA celebrates Christmas 2022 with hope, unity, love and thanksgiving

Published: 23 December 2022

New Commission on Audit (COA) Chairperson Gamaliel A. Cordoba and Commissioners Roland C. Pondoc and Mario G. Lipana lead the 2022 COA Christmas celebration with the theme “Pag-asa, Pagkakaisa, Pagmamahalan at Pasasalamat.”

COA celebrated Christmas 2022 with simple but meaningful activities. The celebration formally began with the lighting of the Christmas Tree and Nativity on 1 December 2022. COA also held a lunch and gift giving to low salaried employees, the traditional greetings to the Commission Proper, activities and performances by sectors and a newspaper lantern making contest.

Chairperson Gamaliel A. Cordoba with Commissioners Roland C. Pondoc and Mario G. Lipana join the organizers and hosts of the greetings to the Commission Proper which was held face-to-face for the first time since the pandemic.

Chairperson Cordoba expressed his appreciation for the COA family’s warmth and support which he felt in his first Christmas with COA. “Tunay nga na ang turingan natin ay tulad ng isang pamilya: nagkakaisa at may malasakit sa bawat isa. Nais ko na mapanatili ang pagkakasundo at magkarron ng mas matibay na samahan habang ginagampanan natin ang ating mga tungkulin ng tapat at mahusay,” Chairperson Cordoba said.

Published: 22 December 2022

Assistant Commissioner Cora Lea A. Dela Cruz, head of the COA delegation, presents a token of appreciation to Minister Bruno Dantas, President of the Federal Court of Accounts of Brazil and Chair of the INTOSAI, after the closing ceremony of the XXIV INCOSAI.

COA delegates join His Excellency Hussain Niyazy, Auditor General of SAI Maldives, and Mr. Yudi Budiman, SAI Indonesia delegate, during a photo opportunity at the XXIV INCOSAI.

The XXIV International Congress of Supreme Audit Institutions (INCOSAI) convened on 7-11 November 2022 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. This year’s INCOSAI was hosted by the Tribunal de Contas da União, SAI Brazil, which succeeded the Accounts Chamber of Russian Federation as the new International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) Chair until 2025.

The Congress is the supreme organ of the INTOSAI, and is composed of all members. Held every three years, the INCOSAI is the largest international forum for the audit community. It offers all INTOSAI members an opportunity to share experiences, discuss issues, and pass resolutions and recommendations to improve government accountability worldwide.

Published: 22 December 2022

The Commission on Audit (COA) Committee on Protection of Women and Men Opposed to Violence Everywhere (MOVE) COA Central Office Chapter, both of the Gender and Development Focal Point System (GFPS), conducted a webinar via Cisco Webex on Republic Act (RA) No. 11313 or the Safe Spaces Act (Bawal Bastos Law) on 09 December 2022 as part of the 18-day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW). There were 273 participants from the COA Central and Regional Offices.

Atty. Princess L. Ramirez, Acting Division Chief of the Prosecution and Litigation Division, Prosecution and Litigation Office, Legal Services Sector, served as the resource speaker for the webinar. She was introduced by Director Fidela M. Tan of the IAO.

Atty. Ramirez gave an overview of laws pertaining to women’s rights and discussed the salient features of RA No. 11313, with particular focus on the prohibited acts and corresponding penalties, responsibilities of the employer and employees, and remedies of offended parties. She also shared decisions of the Supreme Court illustrating the crime of sexual harassment.