Gamaliel Cordoba

Gamaliel Asis Cordoba is a Filipino lawyer who was the longest-serving Commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) from 2009 until 2022. He is currently the Chairperson (the equivalent of Auditor-General) of the Commission on Audit (COA) replacing former Solicitor General Jose Calida. His appointment was confirmed by the Commission on Appointments (CA) on November 29, 2022.

Cordoba at present also serves as External Auditor of the International Labour Organization.

Cordoba was one of the key figures in the 2020 shutdown of ABS-CBN and the denial of its franchise renewal, as well as the 2022 termination of ABS-CBN and TV5's partnership deal.

The Supreme Court upheld the decision to terminate ABS-CBN's franchise with the en banc unanimously voting to junk the petition questioning the NTC's cease and desist order, saying it is "moot and academic" because Congress has denied the network's franchise renewal.

Education and early career

Cordoba took up Economics at the Ateneo De Manila University and obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics in 1992. He subsequently entered the Ateneo School of Law and obtained his Juris Doctor degree in 1996.

While at the Ateneo School of Law, Cordoba joined the Fraternal Order of Utopia, the fraternity of Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, the late Chief Justice Renato Corona and former Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr.

After passing the Bar in 1997, he joined the Siguion Reyna, Montecillo & Ongsiako Law Offices, which was established in 1901 and has the distinction of being the oldest law office in the Philippines. Chairperson Cordoba also worked as a tax lawyer at SyCip GorresVelayo & Co.

Government service

Cordoba joined the government in 2001. He served for nearly a decade at the Office of the President, beginning with a stint as a Director at the Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff, followed by his appointment in 2002 as Assistant Executive Secretary. Cordoba was later promoted to Undersecretary in 2003 and served as Appointments Secretary of President Gloria M. Arroyo from 2006 to 2007. From 2008 to 2009, he would also serve as part of the Board of Directors of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

He also represented the Office of the President as Director of the Philippine National Railways, Director of the Maritime Industry Authority, Member of the Presidential Committee on Good Governance, and Execom Member of the Technology and Livelihood Resource Center.

National Telecommunications Commission Commissioner

In 2009, Cordoba was appointed Commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

He was later appointed to the same position by her successor, President Benigno S. Aquino III, as well as President Rodrigo Duterte and President Bongbong Marcos. By the time he left the NTC in 2022, Cordoba held the distinction of being the commission's longest-serving head.

Filtering Child Pornography

As NTC head, in 2015 Cordoba issued guidelines to filter online child pornography and block access to such websites.

Breaking Duopoly

During his tenure, the NTC broke the long-time duopoly in the telecommunications industry by selecting a third telco through a transparent bidding process under the guidance of the International Telecommunication Union.

Adopting Japanese TV Broadcast System

Cordoba adopted the Japanese Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcast System as the Philippine Digital TV Platform as head of NTC.

Exceeding Target Revenue

In 2022, the NTC exceeded its target for 2021 by P3.82 billion, or 72.4% over its goal.

Free Calls for Typhoon Victims

In the wake of typhoon "Rolly" in 2020, Cordoba spearheaded the “Libreng Tawag” program as head of NTC to ensure help is available all the time, and rehabilitation and recovery efforts are on time.

In a memorandum signed by Cordoba, he again ordered all public telcos to provide free call and charging stations in areas affected by the 7.0 earthquake in Abra in 2022.

Increasing Download Speeds

During Cordoba's term as NTC chief, download speeds on fixed broadband in the Philippines increased from 7.91 Mbit/s in July 2016 to 26.08 Mbit/s in September 2020. Meanwhile, download speeds on mobile connections increased from 7.44 Mbit/s in July 2016 to 16.89 Mbit/s in September 2020, representing a 127.06% increase.

While these numbers still fell short of the global standard at the time, the country's fixed broadband speed has now improved to 90.57 Mbit/s, building on Cordoba's instituted reforms.

Fastest Regulatory Approval for Starlink

Under Cordoba's term as NTC Chief, Elon Musk’s Space Exploration Technologies Corp.’s low earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet technology, Starlink, got the approval to construct and operate telecommunications value-added service facilities in the Philippines. The approval of Starlink was given in record time: 30 minutes following the filing of application papers.

Cordoba said that the roll-out of Starlink's internet access services will benefit immensely unserved or underserved areas in the country, and have direct access to the world, bypassing local service providers.

ABS-CBN

During his term, the telecoms regulator issued a cease-and-desist order against ABS-CBN after its legislative franchise expired on May 5, 2020.

Members of the House Committee on Legislative Franchise on July 10, in a vote of 70-11, rejected the broadcast network’s bid for a fresh franchise, which became the basis of a Supreme Court decision on August 25 to uphold NTC’s cease order.

ASEANSAI Chairmanship

At the 7th ASEAN Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) Summit held in Manila on November 2, 2023, Cordoba was named as the group's Chairman for the years 2024-2025.

The Philippines hosted the summit, which was attended by 68 delegates from the different SAIs of Cambodia, Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, Singapore, Thailand, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

It was also the first ASEANSAI Summit held in person after the pandemic.

Chairmanship of INTOSAI Working Group on Public Debt

From May 8 to 10, 2023, Cordoba presided over the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) Working Group on Public Debt (WGPD) Annual Meeting in Cairo, Egypt.

Cordoba led the Philippines’ Commission on Audit (COA) which acted as the Secretariat to the Working Group in the 2023 Cairo WGPD Annual Meeting.

The WGPD discussed better transparency and accountability in public debt management.

Cordoba and COA chaired the annual meeting of the INTOSAI WGPD in Baku, Azerbaijan from June 5 to 7, 2024. The event, which included delegates from 28 member Supreme Audit Institutions and experts from international organizations, focused on "Responding to the Global Challenges of Public Debt" and highlighted the importance of knowledge-sharing and collaboration on issues such as risk management, debt sustainability, and green financing.

External Auditor for ILO

COA began auditing the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2015 and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in 2019, with audits conducted twice a year.

Chairperson Gamaliel Asis Cordoba presented COA's comprehensive audit report for the year ending December 31, 2023, to the governing body of the ILO. This presentation took place at the 112th Session of the International Labour Conference and included consolidated financial statements.

ASOSAI Governing Board

COA was elected to the Governing Board of the Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) during its 16th Assembly in New Delhi, India. The assembly, which brought together representatives from Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) across Asia, focused on addressing important audit issues and guiding the organization's future direction.

COA's election to the Governing Board was a significant achievement for the Philippines, furthering Chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba's commitment to international auditing standards and fostering collaboration among SAIs. Other countries elected alongside the Philippines include Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates.

Pioneer in Gender and Development Funds Audit

COA hosted a high-level delegation from the Royal Government of Cambodia on October 8, 2024, sharing its experiences in auditing Gender and Development (GAD) Funds. This visit, organized by the United Nations Development Programme, aimed to enhance the capacity of Cambodian policymakers in promoting gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) and women's leadership.

COA Chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba welcomed the 32 delegates, led by Her Excellency Dr. Ing Kantha Phavi, Minister of the Ministry of Women's Affairs of Cambodia. He emphasized the importance of the discussions in providing practical insights that could benefit Cambodia's GRB initiatives.

COA is recognized internationally as a pioneer in auditing GAD Funds, continuously updating its guidelines and promoting the development of its personnel in this area.

Collaborating with World Bank on Enhancing Accountability

COA Chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba and other officials met with World Bank senior financial management specialists, led by Patrick Piker Umah Tete to strengthen their collaboration on enhancing accountability processes in government.

The World Bank commended COA's exemplary audit performance, recognizing its global leadership as a Supreme Audit Institution, especially through the innovative Citizen Participatory Audit (CPA) program. The World Bank now aims to re-engage with COA to assess the progress of the CPA since its institutionalization and its effectiveness in mitigating risk exposure and enhancing accountability.

The World Bank and COA will collaborate to enhance audits of World Bank-funded projects, strengthen internal audit functions across government, and advance other accounting and auditing reforms outlined in the Public Financial Management Reform Roadmap.

Strengthening the Audit of Foreign-Assisted Projects with ADB

The Commission on Audit (COA) of the Philippines, led by Chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba, met with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on November 20, 2024, to discuss initiatives to strengthen audits of foreign-assisted projects, public debt, and Public Financial Management (PFM) reforms. This collaboration aligns with COA's international commitments, including the PFM Inter-agency Initiative for Green Lane Fiduciary Arrangements.

Chairperson Cordoba was joined by COA officials and supervising auditors overseeing various government departments and agencies, while ADB's delegation included key leaders and specialists in public financial management and project operations. ADB emphasized the importance of COA's role in ensuring effective financial oversight, particularly as ADB's Philippine project portfolio is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.

COA's Senior Executive Development Program (SEDP)

The Commission on Audit (COA) conducted the graduation ceremony for 20 officials who successfully completed the Senior Executive Development Program (SEDP). The SEDP is designed to enhance the leadership skills and competencies of COA's senior executives, ensuring the development of capable and competitive leaders within the organization.

The program aligns with COA Resolution No. 2002-009, which mandates the continuous professional development of the agency's senior executives. The event was led by COA Chairperson Gamaliel A. Cordoba, who recognized the achievements of the program's graduates.

COA Earns Independent Review Statement for Meeting International Audit Standards

The Commission on Audit (COA) has successfully passed an international standards assessment of its methodologies, earning an Independent Review Statement. This achievement follows COA’s completion of a repeat self-assessment against global auditing benchmarks through the submission of its Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) Performance Report to the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) Development Initiative (IDI). The Independent Review Statement, issued by an IDI-designated reviewer, confirms COA’s adherence to international best practices and reinforces its commitment to transparency and accountability.

Awards and recognitions

In 2010, Cordoba was awarded the Presidential Medal of Merit by President Gloria M. Arroyo for his exemplary performance and service delivery to the Filipino people. He also received the Radio Award from the Ministry of International Affairs and Communications of Japan.

On July 19, 2023, he was conferred with “The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon” by the Government of Japan in recognition of his contribution to the cooperation of both countries in the areas of information and technology. Japanese Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa, on behalf of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, gave Cordoba the award for his pivotal role in adopting ISDB-T in the Philippines. ISDB-T is a terrestrial digital television-broadcasting standard devised by Japan.

The awarding ceremony was witnessed by First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, former president and current House Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Senate Majority Floor Leader Joel Villanueva, House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe, and NTC Commissioner Ella Lopez, along with close family and friends.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cordoba, Gamaliel
Living people
21st-century Filipino lawyers
Chairpersons of the Commission on Audit (Philippines)
Year of birth missing (living people)
Ateneo de Manila University alumni