MESSAGE
Ladies and gentlemen, good morning ...Maayong buntag sa inyong tanan.
Thank you everybody, for graciously accepting and positively responding to our invitation to attend and take part in Association of Government Accountants of the Philippines FY 2024 Annual Convention-Seminar with a theme: “Improving Financial Inclusion and Securing a Future-Proof Public Finance.”
How time flies fast! Last year, in this same month, specifically October 18-21, 2023, we were in Bacolod - the City of Smiles and Maskara Festival City where we celebrated the AGAP 2023 Annual Convention - Seminar... That was indeed a meaningful and evocative gathering for us all!
Today, we are gathered in this grand IEC Convention Center Cebu, a conducive and ideal site for this year’s AGAP Convention-Seminar. We choose to hold this year’s AGAP convention here in Cebu City, the Province Capital, hailed as the Queen City of the South, because of its pivotal location, and its proximity and easy access for our AGAP members and participants from various regions in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
We hold this AGAP convention-seminar to celebrate our accomplishments. We rejoice with satisfaction and thankfulness, acknowledging, and recognizing that our previous year activities and programs were successfully implemented and will always be beneficial, valuable, and aligned with our efforts to uphold the AGAP Mission to organize government financial management practitioners to be highly competent and accountable professionals, and to bring to fruition AGAP’s vision to become a reputable and dynamic association of government financial management practitioners.
We will continue to hold technical seminars intended for accountants, budget officers and other personnel performing related functions. These are seminars that we will organize to provide our members with valuable knowledge, meaningful learning experiences and opportunities for professional growth.
Furthermore, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) units shall be granted for CPAs during this year’s convention. A total of twenty-two (22) CPD credit units, covering ten (10) topics under the accreditation program. These topics range from Technical Competency, Professional Development, and Ethics, Governance and Quality Principles.
Our theme, “Improving Financial Inclusion and Securing a Future-Proof Public Finance” seeks to look at the current state of financial technology and how it is being used to advance financial inclusion in the country. Financial Inclusion has been increasingly recognized as an integral component in fostering inclusive development goals. The World Bank (2017) defines financial inclusion as a state where “individuals and businesses have access to useful and affordable financial products and services that meet their needs – transactions, payments, savings, credit and insurance – delivered in a responsible and sustainable ways.”
On the other hand, the success in leveraging ICTs depends in part on the quality of the overall operating environment and those that poses risks/challenges to financial technology such as our vulnerability to cyberattacks. The weaknesses and challenges of financial technology need to be addressed to harness its full potential in advancing inclusive financial development.
The need to strike a balance between encouraging innovation and maintaining stability cannot be overemphasized. Safeguards must be properly established to mitigate the risks of new innovations.
Regardless of the times and medium, mandates of the government remain i.e., to ensure consumer protection, to promote inclusion and fairness to all parties, and to engender a secure and competitive business environment.
This year, we have invited Resource Speakers from different government agencies and offices to provide us latest information on government’ proactive efforts in addressing these issues and to provide us an enlightened discussions on their respective assigned topics as indicated in the Program of Activities. These are meant to enhance our awareness and understanding of pertinent subject matters that are related to our convention-seminar theme.
Other than the success of our efforts in enhancing our members capabilities, knowledge and professional development, we are determined to maintain our yearly Search for the Outstanding Accounting Offices of government agencies, including those of the Local Government Units, and private organizations.
For CY 2023, we have 74 recipients of AGAP Outstanding Accounting Offices Awards, as follows: 1 Platinum Awardee (Danao, Cebu), 5 agencies are yet to complete the 8 year requirement to vye for Platinum Award (2 NGAs and 3 LGUs), 8 recipients of Hall of Fame Awards, include 6 NGAs and 2 LGU; and for the Best Accounting Offices Awards there are 25 NGAs, 31 LGUs and 4 GOCCs or a total of 60 recipients.
We shall maintain the AGAP’s Scholarship Program, in collaboration with identified universities and provide monetary support that will benefit eligible, qualified and worthy students pursuing a degree in accountancy. As of August 2024, we have a total of twenty-four (24) AGAP Scholars, nineteen (19) graduates and (11) CPA Board Passers. A total of sixteen (16) scholars requested for review assistance. All these scholars are enrolled in esteemed universities and colleges.
Let us hear testimonies from two (2) of our AGAP Scholars….
Today, and for the succeeding days of this event, you have all the chances to embrace and embed into. your systems the information and knowledge that you can gain and learn from the edifying discussions of the subjects respectively assigned to our invited, accommodating and esteemed Resource Persons.
Again, good morning, fellow AGAPIANs enjoy a meaningful discussion ahead. Thank you.
