Being a party to the moral and fiscal upheaval that rocked the financial institutions and put to shame the honor and dignity of the nation, in the recent past, there is the general feeling among the learned in government and the private sector, including the academe, that the officials and employees holding critical positions in the Commission on Audit or CoA be reorganized.
After the appointment of Atty. Gamaliel A. Cordoba, as the new chairman of CoA, a state of reorganization is felt throughout the audit institution and all attention reckons to the powers and functions of the Commission Proper, the collegial body that governs the entire organization as mandated by the Constitution.
The Chairman:
The Chairman acts as the presiding officer of the Commission Proper. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Commission on Audit and is responsible for the general administration of the Commission. (section 6(3), Title I, P.D. 1445).
As Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, the Chairman shall control and supervise the general administration of the Commission, direct and manage the implementation and execution of policies, standards, rules, and regulations promulgated by the Commission, and control and supervise the audit of highly technical or confidential transactions or accounts of any government agency. (Section 2, Rule II, 1997 Revised Rules of Procedures of the Commission on Audit).
The two commissioners:
The two commissioners may assist in the general administration of the Commission, upon proper delegation by the Chairman. They shall assist in the review and evaluation of existing policies as well as in the formulation of new ones. (Section 5, Chapter I, Subtitle B, Title I, Book v, Administrative Code of 1987, Volume II).:
It is the policy of CoA that a reshuffle may be effected even without the consent of the official or employee concerned when required or deemed necessary in the interest, or need of the service, subject to the restrictions prescribed.
Pursuant to CSC Memorandum Circular No. 2, s. 2005, dated 4 January 2005, reassignment outside geographical location if with consent shall have no limit. However, if it is without consent, reassignment shall be for one year only. Reassignment outside the geographical location may be from one regional office or RO to another RO or from the RO to the central office and vice versa.
The periodic reshuffling of CoA personnel is effected through the issuance of a Reassignment Orders which indicate the position and rank of the personnel concerned as well as the present and new units of assignment. The name of the recommending and implementing officials are likewise indicated in the Order.
Except when the date of effectivity is specified in the Order, the official or employee concerned assumes post in his/her new place of assignment within one month from the date of his/her receipt of the corresponding Reassignment Order.
No new legislation from Congress shall be needed to satisfy the urgency for reorganization. It simply needs the reshuffling of officials and personnel who have relatively overstayed in their position as shown in their assignment orders, and who appeared to have been given special treatment by the previous administration.
Numerous voices are being heard from within CoA that “those who were close with the gods before were holding juicy positions; now, how come, the same people are enjoying higher and juicier new postings? When will their bliss ever end?”
“Kami naman (Consider us, too),” said CoA personnel who have been assigned for decades in the central office and never to the field audit assignment, although they too are qualified, have been performing administrative jobs since their entry to CoA.
Subject to reshuffle is all positions below the chairman and commissioners; National Government Audit Sector. Clusters covering Executive Oversight; Legislative, Judicial, and Constitutional; Local Government and Security; Education; Social and Scientific; Agricultural and Environmental; Commerce, Industry, and External Affairs; and Infrastructure.
(To be continued)