Commission on Audit Chair Grace Pulido-Tan. GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines鈥揟he Commission on Audit (COA) on Monday bade goodbye to its first woman chair, Grace Pulido-Tan, who considered the institutional reforms she introduced to weed out 鈥渕isfits鈥� in the agency among her greatest accomplishments during her four-year stint.
But Tan, who was named by President Aquino to head the COA in April 2011, would perhaps be best remembered for leading the special audit of the Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) of lawmakers that led to the detention of three senators and the filing of criminal charges against other government officials and private individuals.
A lawyer and a certified public accountant, Tan served the unexpired seven-year term of Reynaldo Villar, who resigned in February 2011 following the controversy over his appointment by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2008.
Farewell speech
In a farewell speech at the flag-raising ceremony at the COA headquarters in Quezon City, she thanked COA employees in helping her improve the credibility of the commission.
Along with Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, Tan was recently named by the Inquirer 鈥淔ilipino of the Year鈥� for 2014. The newspaper called them the 鈥�3 Furies.鈥�
鈥淵ou are the real Commission on Audit, you who have made COA your life career and calling, and have sworn to serve with utmost dedication and faithfulness,鈥� Tan told the employees of the constitutional commission tasked with looking into the financial transactions of all public offices.
鈥淟et it therefore be also your pride and fulfillment. As such, make it so. Its future is in your hands and minds and hearts. Chairpersons and even commissioners will come and go鈥� But the mandate and independence of the commission are etched in the Constitution and will remain so until our people say otherwise,鈥� she said.
Tan said the cooperation of COA personnel made it possible for her to make the commission a more professional organization and 鈥渁 truly independent COA鈥� despite its limited resources.
Integrity
She said the agency could proudly claim that its goal to make the COA personnel 鈥渁 truly efficient, dedicated and faithful workforce,鈥� which valued 鈥渋ntegrity as a way of life,鈥� was 鈥渘o longer just dreams or aspirations. We have made them possible in very concrete and palpable ways.鈥�
She said that she would be leaving the COA after 鈥渢hree years and 290 days鈥� with 鈥渏oy and fulfillment鈥� and that she was happy to be 鈥渁ble to do what I told you then we would [do] together.鈥�
Gems discovered
鈥淲e asked our own ranks to account for their lapses and outright misconduct, and did not hesitate to impose corresponding disciplinary action,鈥� Tan said.
鈥淲e ended the culture of political patronage, fellowship and debt of gratitude for self-aggrandizement. I told you to believe in your own qualities and qualifications, not in the endorsements of politicians鈥� With these, we were also able to discover gems of public servants among you, long denied their rightful recognition,鈥� she said.
She said the reforms that the COA implemented during her term were instrumental in allowing the agency get a positive 22 rating during a survey of best performing anticorruption agencies by Social Weather Station in 2013, up from positive 8 four years earlier.
In 2014, Tan said the COA ranked 12th in the Makati Business Club鈥檚 perception of government performance, a big leap from 31st place two years before.
CPA, Bright Spot
Under her watch, the commission launched in November 2012 a Citizen Participatory Audit (CPA) that received reports, comments and suggestions from citizens. The participatory audit received great interest from COA counterparts in other countries.
Because of the CPA, the COA was chosen on Nov. 1, 2013 the 鈥淏right Spot鈥� at the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Summit in London. The Bright Spots competition recognizes the most inspiring examples of how open and accountable government is changing people鈥檚 lives.
The OGP is an initiative that seeks 鈥渢o secure concrete commitments from governments to promote transparency, fight corruption and harness new technologies to strengthen governance.鈥�
RELATED STORIES
Grace Pulido-Tan to bow out in Feb; Palace looking for next COA chief
Filipino of the year: 鈥�3 Furies鈥� deceptively simple