Two questions asked by readers

Two questions asked by readers | Daily Tribune

First question: What should the Commission on Audit (CoA) do to assure the Filipino people that the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is observing absolute transparency and accountability in the utilization of public funds?

The Auditor’s answer:

CoA must conduct rigorous, unhampered comprehensive audits of all public expenditures, strictly enforce disallowances of irregular expenses, and mandate real-time public disclosure of all findings, and observations, and compliance reports. {Commission on Audit + 2}

To achieve this, CoA must implement the following actionable measures:

1. Real-time and Open Data Publishing: Shift from relying solely on annual reports to publishing preliminary Audit Observations Memorandums in a centralized searchable public database. The public should not have to wait years to see where state funds are going, {CoA + 2}

2. Strict Confidential and Intelligence Fund Audits: Require government agencies, including the Office of the President and intelligence-heavy departments, to submit exhaustive, validated proof of expenditures rather than merely relying on certificates of compliance for classified funds.

3. Enhanced Digitalization and Tracking: Fully implement an electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) and reporting system to track the bidding, awarding, and spending of public funds in real-time, preventing ghost deliveries and overpriced projects.

4. Speedy Action and Enforcement: Issue Notice of Charges or Disallowances promptly when agencies deviate from their mandate, and closely coordinate with the Office of the Ombudsman for the swift filing of cases against officials who fail to refund or justify unauthorized expenditures.

5. Broaden Citizen Participation: Institutionalize feedback mechanisms that allow the public civil society organizations and local watchdogs to easily report discrepancies and back government response, directly bringing the public into oversight process {CoA +1}

Public monitoring of government spending is critical for maintaining accountability. The procedures below outline how to access audit data and check compliance requirements to government agencies.

How to Access CoA Annual Audit Reports (AAR):

The Commission on Audit Official Website hosts public financial records of national agencies, local government units (LGU) and government-owned and/or controlled corporations (GOCC).

1. Navigate to the Reports Page: Go directly to the CoA Annual Audit Reports Portal.

2. Select the Agency Classification: Use the left-hand navigation menu to select from categories such as National Government Agencies (NGA), LGUs or GOCCs {CoA +1}

3. Filter by Calendar Year: Check on the specific audit year you want to examine, e,g,, from recent fiscal years under the current administration {COA}

Second question: What should the administration of President Marcos Jr. do to improve the lives of the Filipino people?

The Auditor’s answer:

The administration of President Marcos Jr. currently requires the eradication of poverty and hunger, adequate jobs creation, and affordable food prices. These priorities require broad solutions spanning across the economy, society and governance.

1.Economic Stability and Jobs Creation

a) Inflation Control: Implementing strong fiscal and agricultural policies is critical to stabilize the cost of basic commodities and protect household purchasing power.

b) Local Employment: Shifting focus toward creating high quality domestic jobs to reduce the longstanding reliance on overseas employment and keep families united.

Email: arturobesana2@gmail.com