COA official leads Philippine chairmanship of UN program panel

The Philippines, represented by Commission on Audit (COA) Director Adela Dondonilla, will serve as the chairperson of the 63rd Session of the United Nations (UN) Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC), the main subsidiary organ of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the General Assembly for planning, programming, and coordination in the UN.

The COA, citing reports from Ambassador Antonio M. Lagdameo—the Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the UN in New York—said the Philippines was elected by acclamation as chairperson of the CPC during the Committee’s Organizational Session.

“COA Director Dondonilla will assume chairmanship during the Committee’s 63rd session which will be held at the United Nation’s Headquarters in New York City from May 30 to 30 June 2023. She will be assisted by the officials and staff of the Philippine Mission,” COA said in a statement.

“The Philippines’ chairmanship is a testament to the country’s ability in taking part in various leadership roles of the organization and its relatable bodies,” the COA also quoted Lagdameo as saying.

In addition, Lagdameo said the Philippine chairmanship of the UN panel will allow it to oversee and steer the negotiations, as well as examine the Secretary General’s work program vis-à-vis its budgetary implications and corresponding mandate for effective implementation.

Dondonilla, COA said, is a veteran member of the commission's elite pool of United Nations auditors and is the current director of COA’s Cluster 1, Corporate Government Sector handling banking and credits.

Aside from assisting the ECOSOC in the performance of its coordination functions within the United Nations system, CPC is also tasked to examine the Secretary General’s work program.

COA said there are thirty-four member states, split into five Regional Groups, represented in the UN CPC, and with six observer states. — BM, GMA Integrated News