State Auditor’s Journey| Life lessons|Personal Blog
Wrote a 100 page Audit findings, then I learned she is suicidal
Facing and telling her what’s wrong
Suicidal thoughts shouldn’t be taken lightly so as reporting our findings. I was confronted with how to deal on these matters.
It was difficult. The woman, I will call Reina is of the same age as my mother around sixty. Their area is located farther from the mainland and it isn’t oftentimes she gets to visit downtown. If you personally meet her, you’ll typically find her hair in disarray and in a traditional exhausted mother look. You could see pure service in her eyes.
But the innocent aspect was far different from the financial transactions we have audited. It was in disarray too. Expenditures and disbursements are unsubstantiated. Made up documents were attached to support disallowable allowances and among others. The findings resulted to more than a hundred pages which was accordingly the first time they have encountered.
Days after, my staffs reached out to me and informed me about the status of Ms. Reina. Her fellow accountable officers have been alarmed how she is constantly seen gawking and staying in one place at a complete blank. They have overhead her plans to take her life with the multitude of audit findings to face.
Learning this predicament, I informed my staffs to educate her on how to answer the findings and cause the submission of the lacking documents. Days passed and I received a heartily and emotional response contrary to the formal type of letter required. I never thought that amidst her ignorance, she unexpectedly was able to deliver what was demanded from her as the accountable officer.
Although it wasn’t really needed, I took the extra mile to conduct an exit conference with their district in order to create an understandable financial atmosphere. Surprisingly, the road to reach the Sitio was unbelievably laid back, rough and took us hours just to get there.
We began with an opening prayer led by Ms. Reina who at the midst suddenly could not hold her tears. I felt crushed. I knew I was only doing my work. The whole duration, I talked to the Management about our audit observations and inquired about their internal controls and limitations. We end the discussion meeting end goals of practicable resolutions. Despite the cumbersome audit findings, the people still welcomed me heartily and accepted the audit results. They also committed to correct their practices. I also chance upon a private conversation with Ms. Reina and i couldn’t help but pat and cheer her up. I saw a little relief in her weary eyes.
I have been seeing progress with them nowadays but despite all of it i still had them pay back disbursements which were not accepted in audit.
Audit might be austere and stringent but it need not be oppressive. Giving them the opportunity to be heard created a learning opportunity to correct their mistakes.
While driving on my way to work, i happened to pass by her walking in an emanating solitude, I truly wanted to hug her and I hope she overcome every hurdle.
