The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Internal Audit successfully conducted its first ever Internal Audit Symposium with the theme "Guardians of Good Governance: Role of Internal Audit in Nation Building" in Pasay City from July 17 to 18, 2025.

This effort is in line with President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr.’s directive to maintain strong transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in all internal audit activities.

The two-day symposium served as a platform to deepen understanding of audit frameworks, performance metrics, and innovations in audit methodologies. Likewise, it served as a platform to foster inter-agency collaboration, and networking.

The Officer-in-Charge of the Internal Audit Office, Office of the President, Assistant Executive Secretary (AES) Cynthia Vergara graced the symposium as the Guest of Honor and Keynote Speaker.

AES Vergara emphasized the critical role of internal audit in reinforcing institutional integrity and ensuring the judicious use of public resources in alignment with the national government’s Bagong Pilipinas agenda.

"Internal audit is not just function-it is a force for good governance. Through transparency, integrity, and accountability, we help shape the organization that truly serves the Filipino people. By strengthening our internal audit systems, we are safeguarding not only resources, but also public trust-one audit at a time,” she furthered.

Distinguished representatives from the Department of Budget Management’s Systems and Productivity Improvement Bureau (DBM-SPIB), the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Commission on Audit (COA) served as esteemed resource speakers, sharing invaluable insights on internal control systems, risk-based auditing, and best practices in governance reforms, including the use of artificial intelligence in auditing.

Through events such as this, Coast Guard Internal Audit (CGIA) reaffirms its dedication to fostering a culture of integrity and performance excellence in the maritime sector.

The event was attended by the officers and personnel of the PCG and internal auditors from key national government agencies, including the DBM-SPIB, COA, BSP, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippnes (CAAP) and Metropolitan Waterworks Sewerage System (MWSS).

The PCG remains steadfast in its mission to ensure fiscal responsibility and effective service delivery, guided by the principles of integrity, efficiency, and responsiveness to the needs of the Filipino people.