Commission on Audit Chairman Gamaliel A. Cordoba received on 19 July 2023 the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, from Japanese Emperor Naruhito for his contributions to advancing cooperation between Japan and the Philippines in the field of telecommunications.
The prestigious award was conferred on Cordoba at the residence of Japanese Ambassador Koshikawa Kazashiko on behalf of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan.
Cordoba joins a long list of notable individuals who have been conferred Japan’s exceptional civil merits — like former US Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy, former Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, former Australian Prime Minister Julian Gillard, and former French President Jacques Chirac, among others — who have contributed to the betterment of Japan and the promotion of Japanese culture, to the strengthening of international relations with Japan, and to the advancement of their respective fields of work.
The ceremony was witnessed by First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, former president and current House Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and former First Gentleman Jose Miguel-Arroyo, Speaker Martin Romualdez, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Senate Majority Floor Leader Emmanuel Joel Villanueva, House Majority Leader Jose Dalipe, and National Telecommunications Commission Commissioner Ella Lopez, along with Cordoba’s family and friends.
Cordoba’s short remarks were relevant with regard to what he is now initiating in CoA.
He said: “The award comes at the right time as the Commission on Audit is on the road toward modernizing audit. I hope this will become an inspiration for us in CoA to leverage technology to enhance our audit approaches, as well as to strengthen our ties with our stakeholders to better perform our mandate and meet their expectations and needs.”
For the audit chief, being bestowed one of Japan’s highest honors is a great source of pride and prestige for the men and women of CoA, a boost and a guiding light amid the challenges and criticism over the years.
Allegations of inefficiency, corruption and political bias have been levelled against CoA.
Some accuse CoA of being a slowpoke in acting on audit findings and for failing to hold government agencies accountable for the misuse of funds, while others believe CoA bends to political pressure, influenced by political considerations when conducting audits or issuing reports.
In fairness, CoA has taken steps to improve its operations and address concerns about transparency and accountability by implementing new audit procedures.
It is likewise on course to increasing the use of technology through digitalization to streamline its operations.
It may take some time to change mindsets and fully restore trust and confidence in the organization but with proactive steps to address the criticism, the main guardian of public funds showing its commitment to improvement is never farfetched.