COA and CODE-NGO for Auditing Selected Shelter Projects

The Commission on Audit (COA) has formed a partnership with the country’s biggest coalition of non-government organizations (NGOs) working for social development to conduct Citizen Participatory Audit (CPA) of selected shelter projects in areas affected by Typhoons Yolanda and Sendong.

To document this partnership, COA Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo and the Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE-NGO) Executive Director Sixto Donato C. Macasaet signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on October 25, 2016. The MOA entails how COA and CODE-NGO will work together in conducting a CPA audit of shelter projects implemented by the government in the areas of Palawan, Tacloban, and Iloilo that were affected by Typhoon Yolanda and in Iligan City affected by Typhoon Sendong.

Chairperson Aguinaldo expressed optimism that the cooperation between COA and CODE-NGO will entail greater transparency and citizen participation in governance.

“The big picture here is transparency so that the people can see for themselves the actions taken by government,” Chairperson Aguinaldo said.

Through the CPA, audits are conducted with citizen auditors included in the team to encourage vigilant participation in exacting government accountability. The audit is under the direct supervision and control of the COA.

COA and CODE-NGO will develop the audit design and objectives. Before the audit commences, members from both COA and CODE-NGO will undergo training program on the CPA scheduled on November 14–18, 2016.

CODE-NGO has 12 national and regional networks representing 1,600 non-government organizations, people’s organizations and cooperatives. Its advocacies include transparency, anti-corruption and government accountability; people’s participation in governance; asset reform; environment; and social services. ●