YEARENDER: COA chief, employees battle corruption

MANILA, Philippines - The year 2012 was not an easy one for Commission on Audit (COA) chief Ma. Grace Pulido Tan who, since her appointment in April 2011, has been silently but ferociously fighting graft and corruption in government.

Unknown to many, she has been eating death threats for breakfast, poison letters for lunch and intrigues for dinner.

She said she also had to deal with critics within COA who, upon her assumption to office, were, in her own words, “nasarahan ng gripo (the faucet was turned off).”

Tan said she is not afraid of death threats because she believes that where she is now is God’s will.

“I really feel that I am where I am not because I aspired for it, not because I dreamed about it, or that it’s my ambition to be here, but it’s where God wants me to be in this point in my life,” the 57-year-old mother of five said.

“Whatever inadequacies, whatever dangers there may be or problems there will be, I am very confident that He’s going to see me through… I eat by the day. Uy, gising pa ‘ko, buhay pa ‘ko (Oh, I’m awake, I’m still alive). Okay, next,” Tan said.

To those who ask for favors like transfers of auditors or keeping them where they are, Tan  stressed that she could not be dictated upon.

“Kung pwede, pwede. Kung hindi, hindi pwede (If it’s possible, yes. If it’s not, then no). Pwede for me is we follow the rules of law, something that is legally justified or it is fair, it is equitable, it is honest. Basta I do not want to break the law – for anyone,” she said.

Working year

Tan said 2012 was a working year for COA with all employees doing their job 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“I think that we have been able to accomplish a lot in terms of the programs that we’ve set,” she said.

Tan said the creation of a joint investigating team of the COA and the Office of the Ombudsman is one of their major accomplishments.

“We were able to connect, to synergize, put our efforts together and we’re seeing results,” she said, citing the recently concluded fact-finding investigation into the alleged misuse of P1.782 billion in Malampaya funds.

Tan said the team, which was formed last April, found that at least 23 criminal cases could be filed against certain personalities led by former governor Joel Reyes. He said non-existent projects were also discovered.

The role of audit in the fight against graft is one of the topics at the 5th International Conference of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) to be held in January, which the Philippines will host.

GOPAC is a biennial event that brings together leaders, parliamentarians and other stakeholders to further inspire, educate and equip chapters and members in their fight against corruption.

Citizens’ audit program

Tan also cited COA’s citizens audit program along with citizens’ desks and hotlines that allow the public to connect to the agency via text messaging and phone calls.

“Citizens are now encouraged to come to us, perhaps they find us credible. And perhaps they see that we take action,” she said.

“We are moving one step forward, we are institutionalizing it. We are going to be more techie about it. The citizens participatory audit is an actual citizens participation in an audit team,” Tan said.