COA: Philippines' Supreme Audit Institution

The Commission on Audit (COA) is the Philippines' Supreme Audit Institution. The Philippine Constitution declares its independence as a constitutional office, grants it powers to audit all accounts pertaining to all government revenues and expenditures/uses of government resources and to prescribe accounting and auditing rules, gives it exclusive authority to define the scope and techniques for its audits, and prohibits the legislation of any law which would limit its audit coverage.

THE PRINCIPAL DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION ON AUDIT

1. Examine, audit and settle all accounts pertaining to the revenue and receipts of, and expenditures or uses of funds and property owned or held in trust by, or pertaining to, the government.
2. Promulgate accounting and auditing rules and regulations including those for the prevention and disallowance of irregular, unnecessary, excessive, extravagant or unconscionable expenditures, or uses of government funds and properties.
3. Submit annual reports to the President and the Congress on the financial condition and operation of the government.
4. Recommend measures to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government operations.
5. Keep the general accounts of government and preserve the vouchers and supporting papers pertaining thereto.
6. Decide any case brought before it within 60 days.
7. Performs such other duties and functions as may be provided by law.
(Article IX-D of the 1987 Philippine Constitution)

COA VISION

Promotion of good governance with the attributes of honesty, transparency,
accountability, credibility, efficiency and effectiveness
to enhance trust in the government and
foster a better quality of life for the Filipino people.

COA MISSION

As the country’s Supreme Audit Institution,
the Commission on Audit is vested by the Constitution with:
the power and duty to audit and settle accounts
pertaining to revenues and receipts,
as well as expenditures or uses of funds and property
owned or held in trust by the Government;
exclusive authority to prescribe
government accounting and auditing rules and regulations;
responsibility to recommend measures necessary to improve
the efficiency and effectiveness of government operations.

COA´S GOAL STATEMENT

To make the Commission on Audit
a vibrant partner in nation-building;
a haven of integrity and competence;
an organization of professionals with a culture of excellence
where good work is treasured as the reward in itself;
a quality member in the international organizations of
supreme audit institutions.

STRATEGIES

PEOPLE
1. Continuous development of skills and professional competence and enhancement of personnel welfare and assistance.
2. Implementation of a performance appraisal system to improve employee output and reward deserving employees.

PROCESS
3. Continuing research to see to it that its auditing practices and the government accounting rules and regulations are kept abreast of developments in international standards and legal norms.
4. Conduct of financial, compliance and performance audits in agencies of government.
5. COA at the cutting edge of technological advances in the areas of accounting, auditing and settlement of accounts by maximizing the benefits of information and communication technology.
6. Adoption of the risk based and team approaches at all levels in the audit of government operations and of private entities, as required by law.
7. Enhanced and strengthened decision-making process of the Commission.
8. Intensified monitoring of audit recommendations and enforcement of COA decisions.
9. Continued coordination with prosecutorial, investigative and other government agencies in the fight against graft and corruption.
10. Strengthened relationships with the Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of other countries.
11. Emphasis of substance rather than form, simplicity rather than complexity, quality rather than quantity, the auditor as an enabler rather than a disabler.

PRODUCT
12. Development of financial information systems that will serve the needs of government executives, managers and decision makers.
13. Publication and other means of information dissemination to the public of the performance, financial operations, results of audit of national, corporate and local government, and the actions taken on complaints.
14. Promotion of value-added audit services for improved agency fiscal responsibility and accountability.

I have been connected with the Commission on Audit since August 1985. Since that time however, up to the present, I am assigned at the national government sector. Presently, I am assigned at COA BIR Revenue Region No 12, Bacolod City.

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