Published: 10 June 2022
The Commission on Audit (COA) recognized COA officials and employees for their outstanding audit performance as well as excellent work ethic and loyalty at the annual Salutes the Best program on 5 May 2022 as one of the highlights of the 123rd COA anniversary celebration.
The audit team composed of Auditors Marilou P. Sumcad, Famela L. Manibog, and Jessy James B. Briones of COA Regional Office No. VI was awarded the Gawad Kahusayan for outstanding performance. The Audit team took the initiative in overseeing the extent of implementation of the DAO No. 2004-24 dated 24 August 2004 which provides for policies and guidelines in the management of foreshore areas under the jurisdiction of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) – Provincial Environment and Natural Resource Office (PENRO), Capiz and in the enforcement of its provisions for the collection of rental/occupancy fees from the occupants who operate businesses at the coastal areas of Roxas City and three municipalities in the Province of Capiz. The team emphasized the uncollected annual rental fees aggregating to P35.774 million in estimated uncollected rental fees from CY 2013 to CY 2019 and later resulted to total collections amounting to ₽21,709,720.15 for CY 2021 alone which is way above the average annual collections. The breakthrough in the financial operations of PENRO-Capiz has paved the way towards a more aggressive campaign launched by the agency in order to generate sufficient income to sustain future developments of foreshore areas to benefit future generations without being solely dependent upon the support of the national government.
The Gawad Karangalan Level II was conferred on Mr. Gerald M. Mendeja of the Information Technology Office, Administration Sector. Mr. Mendeja spearheaded the development of various information and application systems in support to the operation of the different offices in the Commission, including the COA Project Reporting of Infrastructure Schedule Monitoring System (PRISM) which is an application designed for monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of different government infrastructure projects through different platforms such as web and mobile. PRISM was the entry of the Commission to the Hackathon BPK Competition held by the Audit Board of Indonesia with the theme “Hack for Accountability and Transparency.” Mr. Mendeja led the COA team which won first place at the professional level of the said competition.
Assistant Commissioner Fortunata M. Rubico, the Commission’s General Counsel and head of the Legal Services Sector, was the recipient of the Gawad Bilang Katangi-tanging Pinuno. Assistant Commissioner Rubico tirelessly introduced improvements in the processes of various offices and sectors she was designated to lead, including making substantial reduction of the Legal Affairs Office’s inventory of pending cases from 2019 below and development of the COA Order of Execution Management Information System for easy monitoring of disallowances and to facilitate the reporting of settlement of disallowances and charges issued by the Commission. She was also one of the prime movers of the COA Gender and Development (GAD) Focal Point System and it was during her leadership that COA received the Bronze Award in the 2018 GADtimpala Awards Philippine Commission on Women in recognition of the Commission’s significant contributions to gender equality and women empowerment especially by ensuring the judicious use GAD funds in the bureaucracy.
Career Development Incentive Awards were also given to Atty. Abdul Nassif M. Faisal of Cluster 6, Corporate Government Sector and Atty. Vic Raymond C. Cagaanan of COA Regional Office No. VII. Atty. Faisal is a graduate of Master of Public Administration (MPA) with Merit (High) – Upper Second Class Honors through a Chevening Scholarship at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. He completed the course in a period of one year, from September 2018- September 2019. On the other hand, Atty. Cagaanan obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR) in May 2021 and conferred cum laude during the USJR’s 110th virtual Commencement Exercises in October 2021.
Ms. Helen S. Hilayo, former state auditor of the COA Regional Office No. VII, was named Most Productive Retiree. Ms. Hilayo has served the Commission for 35 years from June 1976 and retired on December 2011. Upon retirement, she is serving as an evangelical servant leader and was appointed an Internal Auditor of the Shrine of Divine Mercy de Cebu Foundation in Cebu City.
Meanwhile, the Commission also recognized 109 loyalty milestone awardees from the Central and Regional Offices:
| Honorees for Loyalty Milestone Incentive – Central Offices | ||
| Name | Sector | Cluster/Region |
| Evangelista, Venisia Peñaflor | Administration Sector | General Services Office |
| Garma, Danilo Juan | ||
| Tiongson, Arnel Lapuz | ||
| Dael, Constancia Veronica Amaro | Administration Sector | Office of the Assistant Commissioner |
| Estarija, Godofreda Lelis | Commission Proper Adjudication And Secretariat Support Services Sector | Claims And Adjudication Office – CGS |
| Estacio, Wilson Balmoja | Corporate Government Sector | Cluster 1 – Banking and Credit |
| Valiao, Marita Briones | Cluster 2 – Social Security Services and Housing | |
| Villamor, Ma. Isabel Caceres | ||
| Viloria, Jocelyn Tinio | ||
| Chan, Cecilia Natanauan | Cluster 4 – Industrial and Area Development | |
| Uson, Nona Alcaide | ||
| Aguilar, Estrellita Morante | National Government Sector | Cluster 1 – Executive Offices |
| Abellera, Liza Landicho | Cluster 3 – Legislative, Judiciary and Constitutional Offices | |
| Atienza, Ma. Aquilla Cinco | ||
| Cruz, Emelita Rigodon | ||
| Ramos, Pearl Lacerna | ||
| Sabandal, Basilisa Murillo | ||
| Villanueva, Amelita Vicente | ||
| Laurente, Marilyn Roxas | Cluster 4 – Defense and Security | |
| Montañano, Editha Paita | ||
| Padilla, Rosalinda Estrella | ||
| Sese, Melinda Grefaldeo | Cluster 5 – Education and Employment | |
| Dimaala, Alberto De Jesus | Cluster 6 – Health and Science | |
| Aquino, Norma Escritor | Cluster 7 – Public Works, Transport and Energy | |
| Cabasal, Maricor Calderon | ||
| Flores, Raymond Francisco | ||
| Coranez, Lourdes Bergonio | Cluster 8 – Agriculture and Environment | |
| Custodio, Aileen Satin | ||
| Sañosa, Rolando Enriquez | ||
| Angeles, Imelda Pitogo | Planning, Finance and Management Sector | Planning, Management and Budget Office |
| Coscos, Veronica Castor | ||
| Teruel, Lilia Joson | ||
| Fonacier, Carlos Cosme | Professional and Institutional Development Sector | Office of the Assistant Commissioner |
| Romero, Fred Sison | Policy, Research and Institutional Development Office | |
| Diaz, Adelaida Soriano | Quality Assurance Office | |
| Andriano, Leona Avestruz | Special Services Sector | Special Audit Office |
| Tamondong, Roberto Conejos | Systems and Technical Services Sector | Information Technology Audit Office |
| Marcelo, Agnes Asuncion | Systems Consultancy Services Office | |
| Paner, Teresita Almeda | Local Government Sector | National Capital Region |
| Santos, Josefina Lapiz | ||
| Honorees for Loyalty Milestone Incentive – Regional Offices | |
| Name | Region |
| Salic, Mimbalawag Macapodi | Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao |
| Valdopiera, Magdalene Teo | |
| Ancheta, Cecilia Gallardo | Cordillera Administrative Region |
| Garcia, Shalymar Muyargas | |
| Austria, Violeta Peralta | Regional Office No. I |
| Blanco, Pedro Baldomar | |
| Bravo, Elizabeth Aquino | |
| Escaño, Rosa Marietta Jarillo | |
| Espiritu, Joventino Ladia | |
| Felix, Elvira Javier | |
| Lorenzo, Rosalina Romero | |
| Maximo, Elma Lorenzo | |
| Pajara, Teresita Alipio | |
| Ordillos, Ma Iluminada Turingan | Regional Office No. II |
| Verbo, Norma Gudasen | |
| Castro, Ester Dimalanta | Regional Office No. III |
| Dungca, Myra Pamintuan | |
| Flores, Ma. Lerna Ignacio | |
| Guevarra, Elizabeth Reyes | |
| Laxamana, Chona Panlilio | |
| Palec, Carmen Mendoza | |
| Ramos, Laila Gueco | |
| Torres, Flordeliza Dizon | |
| Arcoirez, Flora Hernandez | Regional Office No. IV-A (CALABARZON) |
| Eco, Marciano Coballes Jr | |
| Estremos, Athena Norombaba | |
| Facundo, Editha Bautista | |
| Guevara, Lorna Lejarso | |
| Macaraig, Amor Dapul | |
| Maderazo, Paulita Garcia | |
| Mateo, Maribel Samson | |
| Paglicauan, Norma Dinglasan | |
| Robles, Jocelyn Perez | |
| Valero, Judith Fajardo | |
| Ante, Jocelyn Braña | Regional Office No. IV-B (MIMAROPA) |
| Minano, Virginia Montojo | |
| Reyes, Grace Damaso | |
| Pama, Evangelina Barreto | Regional Office No. V |
| Froilan, Bernadette Zamora | Regional Office No. VII |
| Jugan, Ma Pilarcita Alma Caballero | |
| Alvarez, Ma. Lourdes Matondo | Regional Office No. VIII |
| Apa, Ann Timola | |
| Barrot, Angelo Villordon | |
| Claridad, Benecio Martinez | |
| Cojuangco, Editha Redona | |
| Del Puerto, Imelda Basada | |
| Diorico, Marietta Villarmino | |
| Galapon, Liwayway Mariano | |
| Pariña, Valente Bautista | |
| Sudario, Nilo Mercado | |
| Tiauzon, Elvira Ramirez | |
| Villanueva, Salvacion Corbilla | |
| Abella, Remelia Hashim | Regional Office No. IX |
| Arellano, Florencefane Jangad | |
| Bello, Clarita Belarmino | |
| Enriquez, Ronniel Buenbrazo | |
| Patangan, Ma. Gudelia Quinalayo | |
| Arbon, Othella Gonzales | Regional Office No. X |
| Labitad, Maryville Soledad | |
| Ofngol, Myrna Barcenas | |
| Pontillas, Cecilia Agosto | |
| Suralta, Godardo Cuaresma | |
| Confesor, Saylas De La Vega | Regional Office No. XI |
| Cloma, Donato Alas | Regional Office No. XII |
| Ferenal, Catherine Aguirre | |
| Tuesca, Benjamin Quiambao Jr | |
| Fortu, Elita Buenaflor | Regional Office No. XVI – Negros Island |
| Pakilit, Violeta Samson | |
| Ysola, Nectarinia Remoto | |
Congratulations to all the awardees! #