- The Board shall ensure that its Shareholders are provided with a balanced and comprehensible assessment of the Corporation's performance, position and prospects on a quarterly basis, including interim and other reports that could adversely affect its business through its website and its submissions and disclosures to the SEC and Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE).
Management shall formulate the rules and procedures on financial reporting and internal control for presentation to the Audit Committee in accordance with the following guidelines:
- The extent of its responsibility in the preparation of the financial statements of the Corporation, with the corresponding delineation of the responsibilities that pertain to the External Auditor, should be clearly defined;
- An effective system of internal control that will ensure the integrity of the financial reports and protection of the assets of the Corporation for the benefit of all Shareholders and other Stakeholders;
- On the basis of the approved Internal Audit Plan, Internal Audit examinations should cover, at the minimum, the evaluation of the adequacy and effectiveness of controls that cover the Corporation's governance, operations and information systems, including the reliability and integrity of financial and operation information, effectiveness and efficiency of operations, protection of assets, and compliance with contracts, laws, rules, and regulations; and
- The Corporation shall consistently comply with the financial reporting requirements of the SEC.
- The External Auditor shall be rotated or changed every five (5) years or earlier, or the signing partner of the External Auditing firm assigned to the Corporation, should be changed with the same frequency. The Corporate IA Head should submit to the Audit and Risk Committee and Management an annual report on the Internal Audit department's activities, responsibilities, and performance relative to the Internal Audit Plan as approved by the Audit and Risk Committee. The annual report should include significant risk exposures, control issues, and such other matters as may be needed or requested by the Board and Management. The Internal Audit Head should certify that he conducts his activities in accordance with the International Standards on the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing. If he does not, the Internal Audit Head shall disclose to the Board and Management the reasons why he has not fully complied with the said documents.
- The Board, after consultations with the Audit Committee, shall recommend to the Shareholders an External Auditor duly accredited by the SEC who shall undertake an independent audit of the Corporation, and shall provide an objective assurance on the matter by which the financial statements shall be prepared and presented to the Shareholders. The External Auditor shall not, at the same time, provide Internal Audit services to the Corporation. Non-audit work may be given to the External Auditor, provided it does not conflict with his duties as an independent External Auditor, or does not pose a threat to his independence.
If the External Auditor resigns, is dismissed or ceases to perform his services, the reason/s for and the date of effectivity of such action shall be reported in the Corporation's annual and current reports. The report shall include a discussion of any disagreement between the External Auditor and the Corporation on accounting principles or practices, financial disclosures or audit procedures which the former External Auditor and the Corporation failed to resolve satisfactorily.
If the External Auditor believes that any statement made in the Annual Report, Information Statement or any report filed with the SEC or any regulatory body during the period of his engagement is incorrect or incomplete, he shall give his comments or views on the matters in the said reports.