KICKSTARTING the digital transformation of the Commission on Audit (COA), filling up more than 5,000 vacancies, and a catch-up plan to address the backlog of cases created by the COVID-19 pandemic are among the centerpiece initiatives being eyed by chairperson Gamaliel A. Cordoba.
Cordoba made the announcement during the commission’s four-day Strategic Planning Conference last April 24 to 27, which was attended by 140 COA senior officials, including Commissioners Roland C. Pondoc and Mario G. Lipana.
The COA chief, who assumed the post in October last year, said he hopes to complete his list by the time his seven-year term ends by October 2029.
Foremost among his plans are to develop a technology-driven government accounting system that is compliant with international standards, introducing e-audit by digitizing government transactions in partnership with all government agencies, and incorporating automated audit to handle e-collections and e-payments.
Cordoba noted that artificial intelligence has the potential to crunch big data at high speeds and spot patterns or anomalies which would help detect fraud.
As the commission leverage technology, Cordoba called on auditors and all COA personnel to arm themselves to meet challenges through trainings and capacity building.
In return, he vowed to adopt a merit-based succession planning program and support for the enhancement of communication with audited agencies and bodies with oversight powers over COA’s reports, especially Congress.
“COA has long held the respect of the public and government agencies as an institution that zealously safeguards the nation’s coffers. Here and abroad, you are known for your exemplary performance of duties and responsibilities with excellence, skill, and integrity. I hope to lead you to build capacities and capabilities to audit areas that have not previously been emphasized or highlighted such as the audit of PPP projects,” the COA chief said.
He likewise appealed for support from all COA personnel to accept changes to keep up with the demands of the environment.
“We are now moving into modernizing audit through leveraging technology. I hope that we will be able to take a step further, enabling a technology driven government accounting system, digitizing government transactions in partnership with all government agencies and paving the way for e-audit as the manner of conducting audit,” he added.
