In line with the banner program of Gov. Edgar M. Chatto for transparent and accountable governance, the Provincial Government of Bohol, supported by the Provincial Roads Management Facility (PRMF), anAustralian Government Aid Initiative, conducted a two-day workshop at the JJs Seafood Village last Jan. 6-7, 2011.

About 35 provincial government participants attended the two-day gab to review and fine-tune the risk assessment matrices prepared by the Provincial Engineering Office (PEO), the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO), the Provincial Treasurer’s Office (PTO), the Provincial Budget Office (PBO), the Provincial Accounting Office (PAccO) and the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC).

The workshop, according to Jerome Maniwang, Head of the Provincial Internal Audit Office (PIAO), aims at identifying risk zones in the business processes of the six pilot offices. These risk zones, once identified and accepted, will lead to particular risks that need be managed and controlled so that provincial government transactions remain open, transparent and accountable.

From this workshop, an Audit Plan for 2011 will be formulated based on an Internal Audit Operations Manual that will be formulated by the PIAO. The first office to be audited by the PIAO, once the Operations Manual is approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, is the PEO road maintenance activities for 2010.

Providing coaching and mentoring assistance to the PIAO staff is Consultant Michael Cañares, an international evaluation/assessment consultant and faculty member of the Holy Name University who was awarded as Most Outstanding Finance Instructor in the Philippines in 2009. (from Bohol Chronicle)