Accountancy profession in anti corruption

Accountancy profession in anti corruption | Daily Tribune

I shared with them my experience in taking the CPA exam 50 years ago. Back then, the exam was held only once a year. Calculators were prohibited, candidates wrote with fountain pens, and the passing rate was low. To the best of my knowledge, it was considered the most difficult licensure exam of its time.

Accounting has changed so much through the years, from the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) of my college years to the Philippine Accounting Standards (PAS) and Philippine Financial Reporting Standards (PFRS) of today, aligned with International Accounting Standards (IAS) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), respectively.

For government accounting and auditing, the Commission on Audit (CoA) has its established standards and rules on the matter. Amendments to Presidential Decree No. 1445, which is the 1978 Government Auditing Code of the Philippines, were made as early as 2023. However, to my understanding, the entire process as of this writing, has not yet been completed.

Yet one thing remains constant: the CPA’s ability to work with numbers — recording financial transactions, establishing internal controls to prevent fraud, and auditing with integrity.

This enduring role is especially critical today, when corruption in government — alongside the high cost of living — stands as one of the nation’s most pressing political and economic challenges.

CPAs are uniquely positioned to confront this issue. From financial planning to transaction recording, asset safeguarding, and auditing, among other things, they oversee the entire money trail. If CPAs perform their duties faithfully, they can prevent the theft of public funds and uncover fraud when it occurs. In government, this vigilance is indispensable.

The current flood control corruption issue is a very good case in point. Accountants could have verified whether the Programs of Work were accurate in terms of scope, materials, labor, and other costs. As the projects progressed, auditors could have checked whether specifications — volume, cost, quality — were met. From start to finish, CPAs can trace the numbers and ensure accountability.

Of course, challenges remain. There is political pressure, physical threats, and the greatest danger of all — the risk of accountants themselves being corrupted.

However, as a CPA who has been in government, I can respectfully state from experience and with authority that doing the job can, should, and must be done. It is one’s sworn duty.

For personal, professional, legal, and moral reasons, the CPA profession must rise to the challenge of our times. By upholding the Code of Ethics and aligning their work with God’s Word, accountants can be one of the primary pillars of anti-corruption and the strengthening of good governance.

Ensuring the integrity of financial accounts in both the private and government sectors, ultimately, would be the greatest and most enduring contribution of CPAs to our country.