Simple joys
IN its editorial of 25 July, The Manila Bulletin commended the COA for “tirelessly looking into the operations of our government, bereft of political considerations, concerned only with ensuring the proper use of the nation’s funds.”
I am truly humbled, as it cited one of the audits that was carried out and reported during my term as chairperson. It was a painstaking effort, with only a handful of our special audits auditors on the job who were exactly as described in the editorial. In my retirement, this is among my simple joys, to be remembered for a job that made such an impact on public accountability.
The editorial brought back treasured memories of having worked with truly dedicated and hardworking state auditors. There were many of them, silently going about their tasks and responsibilities with utmost professionalism, content in being obscure, almost invisible. Only their work product and ethic spoke for themselves. Their loyalty was clearly to the institution and country, not to their pockets or anyone’s else.
Ironically, I saw these up close and personal mostly during audit trips to Geneva and Rome, the headquarters of the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization. The COA was then their external auditors (and I believe, till today), and we rotated our best and most hardworking auditors in these audits on two-week shifts per cycle. Being excellent workers, they easily qualified for these foreign audits. While they worked just as hard during their overseas assignments, the change of scenery and fresh air, so to speak, did wonders to recharge their weary bones and added to their learning and experience of international audit best practice.
Perhaps, it was the proximity and close attention. I saw their childlike simplicity and deep sense of duty. In and out of the country, they were the same competent, dependable, industrious, and trustworthy professionals. Ever simple in their wants and needs, too, miserly frugal to a point, even. Once, I insisted on joining them at their accommodations at a rather cheap pensione near the FAO and found six of them cramped in a tiny room. They brought along a rice cooker, some rice, canned goods, instant noodles, laundry soap... imagine their combined weight vis-a-vis a baggage allowance of only 20 kilos per person! They simply wanted to save as much from their per diems to be able to bring home some souvenirs, as well as save precious time for personal necessities in favor of the job.
They worked long hours 6 days a week. One Saturday, they knocked off at 5 and bundled themselves to a Filipinodriven van that would take them to Monte Carlo and Nice... and back to Rome before sunset of the next day. Bitin na bitin yan, I said, and you’d be dead-tired from such a long trip. I told them to take two days off, but they declined; “Pa-picture lang kami, Ma’am, we need to be back at work on Monday.” Such dedication, and such simple joys that make their day.
On two occasions, I shared a room with two lady officials in Geneva. Our per diems (which, by the way, were shouldered by the auditees, not COA or the Philippine government) were not enough to cover one room for each, as would be the norm. It was a blessing, because we got to know each other better personally and not just as colleagues. Again, another simple joy of connecting and discovering.
It was indeed a rare privilege to have served the COA with such a great bunch of tireless, dedicated public servants. They do exist, and to repeat, there are many of them in COA, so much more than those who may not have been exemplars of good ethical conduct and competence. They were my joy and pride, and they know who they are. To them I dedicate this piece. I hope that they will carry on, constant and unblemished amid the rumblings of bureaucracy and the pressure of a hot boiler job.