THE Commission on Audit has started implementing an Audit Modernization Program (AMP) aimed at speeding up its performance.
COA Commissioner Roland C. Pondoc announced earlier this month that the country’s supreme audit agency is moving forward with the plan to shift from paper-based to digital-driven audits.
Apart from improving on the existing system, he said optimizing the use of science, technology, and innovation will enhance COA’s resilience in times of crises or emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the modernization program are five major initiatives to develop an Audit Service Continuity Plan; create an Electronic Document Portal; use Business Intelligence, Advanced Data Analysis and Machine Learning Capabilities; upgrade COA’s data storage and processing capacity; and build an information system to handle online filing of pleadings and electronic payments.
The continuity plan is aimed at addressing adverse impacts of disruptive events and provides better protection for auditors and COA personnel by providing them with tools and adaptive skills.
An electronic document portal will enable auditors to perform remote audits while giving them the option to secure required documents from audited agencies, thereby saving time and cost.
On the other hand, analysis and processing of the entire population of data can be simplified with the use of available technology and innovations.
To back up the shift to digital mode, the COA also needs to shore up its capability to accept electronic records and securely store them in a central storage for digital documents.
“These initiatives are imprints of how COA tries its best to bring forth excellence despite the challenges to provide every Filipino the kind of government that we can all be proud of,” Pondoc said.
While acknowledging that the global health crisis has altered the public auditing landscape, the COA said it also opened up opportunities for the Commission to develop more creative and effective ways of performing its functions.
