28 April 2014 – In her role as the external auditor of FAO, COA Chairperson Grace Pulido-Tan paid a courtesy call to Director General Graziano Da Silva at the Director General’s Office on 28 April. She was accompanied by the Philippine Permanent Representative, to FAO, Ambassador Virgilio A. Reyes, Jr. and Agricultural Attaché Lupiño Lazaro, Jr.

The meeting discussed the terms, roles and responsibilities of COA’s external audit service to FAO. Tan conveyed appreciation to FAO for its support and confidence on the posting of COA and guaranteed that COA will continue to exert best efforts to provide accurate and balanced outputs.

Tan also expressed gratitude on the recent visit to the Philippines of Graziano Da Silva on 09 March 2014 to the Philippines to meet with the FAO partners in the country and for the valuable assistance extended towards the rehabilitation of the catastrophic damages made by super Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Yolanda). Director General Da Silva remarked that he had been accompanied by Ambassador Reyes during this visit.

Da Silva called FAO’s assistance to the damages a 3-R approach: 1. Bringing Relief, 2. Recovering process, and 3. Resilience and conveyed that they are currently working on the assistance to farmers in harvesting and providing better seeds, and it is expected that the farmers will harvest at least 30 to 40 per cent more than before. Da Silva anticipated that FAO can buy part of these productions and use the new seeds to replant it for other areas. It is considered to be an upgrade on the production of rice and support to the farming of rice.

Graziano Da Silva concluded in wishing the best for COA and its leadership, while expressing continued full support and confidence the mandate and capacity of COA as the FAO External Auditor. END

COA Chairperson Grace Pulido-Tan and Philippine Permanent Representative, to FAO, Ambassador Virgilio A. Reyes, Jr. at the Office of FAO Director General José Graziano Da Silva.