Prov’l accounting office bags second national award
Lingayen–The Provincial Accounting Office (PAcO) was again named by the Commission on Audit (COA) as the country’s Outstanding Accounting Office in recognition of the quality, timeliness and accuracy of its financial reports for the fiscal year 2012.
Officer-in-Charge Provincial Accountant Arturo Soriano will receive the award during the opening day ceremonies of the convention-seminar of the Association of Government Accountants of the Philippines (AGAP) on October 14 at Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City.
“The award was first conferred to the provincial government in 2009 — two years after Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. designated Provincial Treasurer Marilou Utanes as OIC provincial accountant,” he said.
“We continue and maintain what was started,” he added, noting that PAcO is now systematic and all things were put into order by the former provincial accountant.
For transparency, financial reports could be accessed on the website of the province created and maintained by the Provincial Information Office.
The provincial accountant also noted that annual reports were published in newspapers while financial reports were posted in conspicuous places of Malong and Kalantiao buildings in the capitol complex as part of the full-disclosure policy of the present administration.
“We always assure that reports on trial balance are submitted to the auditor every 15th day of the month,” he added.
Seldom do local government units of municipalities and cities in the province (except the provincial government) keep the trial balance updated and submit reports to the auditor on time, Soriano said.
He added that unliquidated cash advances were prevalent in the previous administration, causing the accounting office problems, but these were eliminated since 2007 at the start of the first term of Gov. Espino.
The dates of submission of reports and vouchers were reviewed and validated by COA Region 1 relative to the PAcO’s endorsement for the national awards.
On October 13, the PAcO will also receive a certificate of recognition on the “Search for Government Offices with Innovations and Best Practices in Internal Auditing” of the Association of Government Internal Auditors (AGIA) during the awards ceremony of the annual convention at the Crown Regency Resort and Convention Center in Malay, Aklan.
The best practices entry of PAcO, however, is set for complete validation for the said search. (PIO/Mark Gerry Naval Oblanca)
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