Sarangani's accounting office is "outstanding"

ALABEL, Sarangani (October 21, 2009) – Sarangani’s provincial accounting office, with Pangasinan and Rizal, won over 81 provinces nation-wide in the annual selection of outstanding accounting offices in the provincial level category for year 2008.

This is the second time the province received the award since 1997.

It is an honorary annual award given by the Association of Government Accountants of the Philippines (AGAP) to provincial offices for adopting decentralized accounting system and for having “exemplary met the criteria on accuracy, timeliness, reliability and compliance to accounting rules and regulations set by the committee on awards” which is headed by the Commission on Audit (COA).

The recognition served as the highlight during the recent AGAP annual convention anchored on the theme “The Global Financial Crisis: an Opportunity to Examine What We Are Doing Right” which President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo noted as “very timely and relevant, in light of current global financial crisis.”

As public accountants, Arroyo said, they are in the “best position to help the country in coping with the global economic downturn.”

“By guaranteeing transparency, reliable and cost-effective accounting services to (your) clients, I am certain that we can safeguard the reforms that we have taken over the past years,” she added.

Sarangani provincial accountant Leovigildo Librando said the computerization of their system made easy for them to get the award.

“Hindi na kami nahihirapan sa mga supporting schedules because it is in the system,” Librando said.

He said they can “ensure accuracy” of the reports like bank reconciliation and notes to financial statements and others which are submitted to COA to check on the accuracy and conformity on accounting rules as among the criteria for the award.

Librando attributed the award to the support of his staff and to Governor Migs Dominguez especially for releasing approximately P1 million to fund the computerization of their system in 2006.

Dominguez noted the strictness of the accounting office in financial disbursements in Sarangani that must conform with COA rules which, he said, has translated to an award that illustrates transparency in Sarangani. (Beverly Paoyon/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE)