NEWS RELEASE|| August 7, 2026 𝗖𝗢𝗔, 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗬 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁

BUTUAN CITY, August 5, 2026 – 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁 (𝗖𝗢𝗔) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱) 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗠𝗫 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗬 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀.

Hosted by the Schools Division Office of Butuan City, under the leadership of Schools Division Superintendent Minerva Albis, the conference gathered accountants, budget officers, schools division superintendents, assistant schools division superintendents, Curriculum and Implementation Division (CID) chiefs, Schools Governance and Operations Division (SGOD) chiefs, regional office chiefs, and supervisors to discuss the scope, authority, timelines, and expectations of the annual audit.

DepEd Caraga was led by Regional Director Dr. Allan G. Farnazo, CESO III, who gave a powerful message on the importance of interagency cooperation under a common vision and mission of serving the nation; while the Commission on Audit was headed by Jesus Misael D. Almendralejo, Assistant Regional Director, COA Caraga, who also expressed appreciation for the excellence of DepEd Caraga’s financial performance and integrity. He was joined by the members of the regional audit teams.

𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲

During the conference, COA auditors explained that the entrance conference serves as the official venue for communicating the terms of the audit engagement embodied in the engagement letters, which will be transmitted to the concerned offices.

They likewise emphasized that COA audits are mandated by law and that government agencies are required to undergo the audit process.

The audit team also discussed the constitutional basis of COA's authority under Article IX-D of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, which mandates the Commission to examine, audit, and settle all accounts pertaining to government revenues, expenditures, and the use of public funds and property.

𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀, 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

Silveriano A. Dumaboc Jr., Audit Team Member of NGAS Cluster 5, Team 04, presented the auditors' responsibilities and the limitations of the audit process. The discussion highlighted the respective roles of auditors and auditees in ensuring that audit activities are conducted efficiently, objectively, and in accordance with established auditing standards.

𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗖𝗬 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗣𝗔𝗣𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲

DepEd Caraga Finance Chief Elaine Navarro provided participants with updates on DepEd's Programs, Activities, and Projects (PAPs) for implementation in Calendar Year 2026 to give the audit team a clearer understanding of the agency's operational priorities and fund utilization. The presentation highlighted DepEd Caraga's continuing efforts to ensure efficient, transparent, and accountable use of government resources in support of quality basic education.

𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀

COA also presented the audit timelines, informing participants that management letters for the Schools Division Offices and the Regional Office Proper are targeted for transmittal by April 15, 2027, while the consolidated management letter for the Regional Office is expected by April 30, 2027.

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆

The conference reaffirmed the shared commitment of COA and DepEd Caraga to uphold transparency, accountability, and sound financial management in the delivery of quality basic education, while fostering open communication and cooperation throughout the audit engagement.

By: The Public Affairs Unit

DepEd Caraga

𝗘𝗡𝗗

For more information, contact (085) 221-1151, 0961-737-0873, or 0915-808-4734. Website: www.caraga.deped.gov.ph; email: caraga@deped.gov.ph; pau_caraga@deped.gov.ph

#DepEdCaraga #COA #Transparency #Accountability #GoodGovernance #PublicService #FinancialManagement #Audit2026 #QualityEducation #BagongPilipinas #MATATAGAgenda #SulongEdukasyon

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