MMDA gets highest audit rating from COA

MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has received the highest audit rating from the Commission on Audit (COA).

This is the third straight year that the MMDA received the recognition for its financial statement.

In a statement yesterday, the MMDA said it received an “unqualified opinion” from the COA for 2021.

The commission said an unqualified or unmodified opinion is issued when the “auditor concludes that the financial statements are prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the applicable financial reporting framework.”

The COA clarified that an audit opinion “should not be viewed as a rating, score or grade, with ranking of lowest to highest,” saying it only pertains to the financial audit done by state auditors on government agencies.

MMDA Chairman Romando Artes attributed the recognition to the agency’s “good financial management.”

“We have to sustain, if not improve, these established reforms to be able to serve Metro Manila better, especially since we are recovering from the effects of the pandemic,” he said.

Artes underscored the agency’s increased benefits to MMDA personnel as well as the upgrade of its facilities.

He said the MMDA would push for more programs and policies pursuant to its mandate such as the construction and rehabilitation of flood control infrastructure, traffic management plans and disaster preparedness.