By: Mervhi Lynne B. Lucio
The University of the Cordilleras (UC) welcomed auditors and education officials on February 4, 2026, for a comprehensive performance audit of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education (UAQTE) program. The audit, held at the UC Conference Room, was led by a specialized team from the Commission on Audit (COA) Central Office.
The visiting COA central office team was composed of Ms. Gerverlyn Mila (Co-Audit Team Leader), Mr. Galileo B. Tuangco (Team Member), and Ms. Marie Joy D. Marin (Team Member). They were joined by two representatives from the Commission on Higher Education – Cordillera Administrative Region (CHED-CAR) UniFAST Unit, Dr. Bernadette Pal-ec and Ms. Jezeny Laoyan. The primary goal of the audit was to assess the extent to which the UAQTE program has achieved its intended objectives of providing quality tertiary education. According to the COA, the initiative aims to help the government perform its mandate more economically, efficiently, and effectively.
Simultaneously, key school officials involved in planning, Student Affairs Services – Student Development and Welfare Center, Accounting Office, and the Registrar’s Office met with the auditors to discuss the monitoring and reporting of the UAQTE program, covering the years 2018 to 2025 to track enrollment capacity, TES applicant data, and other guidelines.
Through this performance audit, UC reaffirms its dedication to ensuring that public investments in higher education are optimized to empower Filipino learners and produce meaningful academic success.
