IPOPHL recognized as Outstanding Accounting Office by AGAP

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) received this week an Outstanding Accounting Office Award from the Association of Government Accountants of the Philippines (AGAP), Inc. through the recommendation of the Commission on Audit (COA).

The award was received by IPOPHL Director General Rowel S. Barba, Financial Management and Administrative Service (FMAS) Director Frisco L. Guce and Chief Accountant Hidaya Hadji Omar at the Park Inn by Radisson North Edsa.

“We celebrate this feat thanks to the firm and uncompromising work of each one at FMAS. Rest assured that we will strive to continue strictly complying with the government accounting and auditing standards as we uphold and promote good governance,” Guce said.

To be eligible for the award, an office must have received from COA an unqualified opinion in its latest financial statements and has met criteria on accuracy, timeliness, reliability and compliance with accounting rules and regulations.

IPOPHL has maintained its unqualified opinion from COA for nine straight years and now aims to maintain the AGAP award for three straight years until it reaches the AGAP Hall of Fame recognition.

To achieve this, part of FMAS’ efforts is continuously capacitating its staff while exploring how the office can further utilize relevant Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools.

“As a financially self-sustaining agency, our office must be careful and compliant with all standard rules to properly manage its funds. Through this, we hope to cement the public’s trust,” Barba said.

AGAP is an institution of budget officers, supply officers, cashiers and personnel belonging to the Finance Group from national government agencies, local government units and government owned or controlled corporations.