COA Region III inaugurates its newest PSAO in Bataan
By: Jeruz R. Padrigon
Abucay Bataan – The Commission on Audit Regional Office No. III (Central Luzon) inaugurated its newest Provincial Satellite Auditing Office (PSAO) located in Barangay Calaylayan, Abucay, Bataan on April 28, 2022. The inauguration was attended by COA officials led by Chairperson Rizalina Noval Justol, Commissioner Roland Café Pondoc, Assistant Commissioner Roland A. Rey, Director Omar S. Roque and Assistant Director Chona P. Laxamana.
The inauguration commenced with a tree-planting activity, followed by a Holy Mass and blessing of the building. During the ribbon-cutting, the COA officials were assisted by Bataan Governor Alberto S. Garcia and Abucay Mayor Liberato P. Santiago, Jr. and his wife Mrs. Ana D. Santiago.
Regional Director Omar S. Roque expressed his gratitude to Mayor Santiago and his wife, for their generosity in donating, in their personal capacity, the land where the PSAO Bataan was constructed. He also expressed his appreciation to the unwavering support and assistance of the COA Central Office officials in the immediate approval and construction of the PSAO Bataan project.
Commissioner Roland Café Pondoc, in congratulating COA Region III for the completion of the project, stated that the building will serve as a new home for the COA employees assigned in the province of Bataan. He hoped that moving in the PSAO building will inspire COAns to perform their duties and responsibilities with excellence in mind. He also reiterated that while the Commission continues to pursue total independence from its auditees, its role remains to be not only as watchdog of public coffers, but more importantly, as an enabling-partner of the government agencies to help them steadfastly fulfill their duties of serving the public and promoting their welfare in an efficient, economical and effective manner.
Chairperson Rizalina Noval Justol added that the PSAO will also serve as repository of important documents that the auditors may need in the day-to-day tasks. She also hoped that the PSAO becomes a venue where COAns will be able to fulfill their promises to the people, and in the long run, will translate to a better life of the Filipinos.
The COA-PSAO in Bataan is the 56th satellite office of the Commission on Audit nationwide and the 6th satellite office in Region III which materialized through the cooperation and concerted efforts of the Commission on Audit, the Provincial Government of Bataan and the Local Government of Abucay.
On the whole, the blessing and inauguration was another successful event which was made possible by the support of the entire COA Region III officials and personnel. The “Pista-Sa-Nayon” themed event celebrated in thanksgiving the resilience and readiness of the COANs in facing the challenges under the new normal.
