THE Citizen Participatory Audit (CPA), a nine-year initiative of the Commission on Audit to enlist the help of civil society in promoting transparency in government, has won top honors in the Asia Pacific Region for the 2021 Open Government Partnership (OGP) Impact Awards.
The recognition was announced at the Opening Plenary of the OGP Global Summit from December 15 to 17, 2021, celebrating the work of government reformers in improving transparency, accountability, participatory nature, and impact of open government work.
Launched in November 2012, the CPA strategy aims to enhance citizen participation in the public audit process.
It empowers groups of citizens to conduct public audits and capacity building activities to promote the people’s right to a clean government and the prudent utilization of public resources.
COA said the CPA is founded on the premise that public accountability can prosper only with a vigilant and involved citizenry.
“We would like our people, especially the younger generation, to be involved in the work of governance. Citizens are included in the audit team to make government more effective, transparent, and accountable. After all, democracy is not only for the people; it is also by the people,” said COA Chair Michael G. Aguinaldo.
Over the past nine years, the CPA had accomplished audits of the multi-billion peso Kamanava Flood Control Project which involved 13 flood control structures meant to mitigate flooding in Northern Metro Manila; Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Funds and the Local Government Units’ performance in their response to natural calamities and man-made disasters; validation of Farm-to-Market Roads using a geotagging tool; and the evaluation of Solid Waste Management Programs by local government units.
This is the second time that the CPA has received international honors, having also previously garnered the first OGP Bright Spots prize during London summit in 2013.
