Bong Go champions public accountants’ welfare at PICPA 79th convention

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go reaffirmed his strong support for the accounting profession at the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) 79th Annual National Convention, held at the SMX Convention Center in Davao City last Friday.

The event, themed "Values Above All," focused on the importance of integrity and principles in addressing the evolving challenges of the accounting field. Around 4,200 attendees were present, with Senator Go personally distributing tokens to participants.

Go also shared a personal connection to the profession, noting that his son, a CPA who graduated with high honors and placed third in the CPA Board Exam, had given him insight into the dedication and hard work required in the field.

“Masaya po ako na siya ay CPA rin tulad ninyo, sana rin sundan nya po ang inyong landas pagdating ng panahon at sana’y maging CPA Lawyer sya. Kaya malapit po sa puso ko ang mga CPA,” he added.

The senator also highlighted his legislative initiatives to strengthen the accounting profession and improve public governance. Among these are Senate Bill No. 2538, which seeks to establish the Magna Carta of Government Accountants, and SBN 2536, which proposes the creation of the Government Accountancy Office under the Department of Budget and Management. Go also introduced SBN 2504, the "Salary Standardization Law VI," which builds on the Salary Standardization Law 5, co-sponsored by Go in 2019.

Additionally, Go welcomed a recent executive order by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. mandating significant salary increases for public servants.

In closing, the senator challenged the PICPA community to uphold professional integrity and social responsibility. "As CPAs, in our hands are the many opportunities to effect change in our society so that one day, our children and our children's children will wake up every morning proud of their CPA fathers or mothers for what they have done for the many generations of Filipinos to come.”