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FILIPINO AUDITOR TO BE APPOINTED AS UNITED NATIONS UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR INTERNAL OVERSIGHT

Tuesday, October 6, 2015 - 08:45
06 October 2015 – The Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the United Nations reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced his intention today to appoint Philippine Commission on Audit (COA) Acting Chairperson Heidi L. Mendoza to the position of Under-Secretary-General (USG) of the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS).
Once appointed, Ms. Mendoza will be the first Filipino to ever serve as Under-Secretary-General in the UN Secretariat. She will serve for five years.
The OIOS assists the Secretary-General in fulfilling his oversight responsibilities in respect of the resources and staff of the UN through internal audit, monitoring, inspection, evaluation and investigation services.
According to the OIOS official website, the Office issues more than 200 reports, and more than 800 recommendations to improve internal controls and correct underlying obstacles to organizational efficiency and effectiveness.
“The appointment of Ms. Heidi Mendoza as UN Under-Secretary-General of an important office that aims to be an agent of change to promote responsible, accountable, and transparent administration of UN resources, is a true testament of her skills and integrity as a public accountant,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. del Rosario said.
The UN General Assembly is expected to welcome and unanimously confirm Ms. Mendoza’s appointment sometime next week.
With over 20 years of government service particularly in the fields of audit, investigation, fraud examination, anti-corruption and integrity, and advocacy, Ms. Mendoza is no stranger to UN work as she had served as UN Senior External Auditor.
She is a Certified Public Accountant with Masters degrees in National Security Administration and Public Administration with specialization in Fiscal Administration.
Ms. Mendoza will replace outgoing USG Ms. Carmen L. Lapointe of Canada.
Other Filipinos who served in the UN system with the rank of Under-Secretary-General include Mr. Rafael M. Salas, who was appointed as the first Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund in New York from 1969 to 1987; and former Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Domingo L. Siazon, Jr., who was elected as Director-General of the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Vienna from 1985 to 1993. END