Year 2023 Theme: Be a Diamond, for Sustainable Relevance and Growth

Happy Diamond Year 2023 to all members, friends, and colleagues!

We welcome and celebrate the 75th founding anniversary as a crucial milestone in our
continuing journey towards further advancing the purpose and goals of the Institute and the
Internal Audit profession.

IIA-P, the Institute.

Since its establishment, the Institute has made remarkable achievements in promoting,
supporting, and strengthening the professional practice of internal auditing in the Philippines.
Your Institute leaders endeavored audaciously in advocacy initiatives to lay the groundwork for
elevating the stature and relevance of the profession. Since then, the Institute has unceasingly
promoted the IIA’s professional guidance and the IIA certifications and provided developmental
training, learning and benchmarking opportunities. Over the years, the Institute has attained solid
progress with strength and stability, which, maintained through time, honed the rarity and value
it has earned as of today. The clarity in its direction, as indicated in the mission, vision, and
strategic goals, enabled the Institute to keep its focus, commitment, purposiveness, and
constancy.

While currently faced with more disruptors than in the past, the key is the governance framework
and structure to enable sound strategic business development, service delivery, and marketing
and communication, as well as the agile roll-out of innovative processes, products, and services.
The remaining phases to kickstart the transformation of the Institute for organizational and
operational resilience and sustainability have been set to be finished this year. Driven by its
mission, pushed forward intending to benefit the members, the internal audit profession, and the
Institute’s stakeholders, and anchored on diligence, resiliency, and agility, the Institute is poised
to stay ahead of the challenges now and in the coming years.

Internal Audit, the Internal Auditors.

Internal Audit is essential to organizations’ sound governance, risk management, and control.
The value of Internal Audit is signified by the risk-based and objective assurance, advice, and
insight provided to stakeholders.

The threats confronting an organization today to achieve its Environmental, Social, and
Governance-related goals under the BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Non-linear, and Incomprehensible,
the new VUCA) landscape are overwhelming. Therefore, Internal Audit must constantly improve
its skills, knowledge, and competencies to remain a relevant and trusted advisor in dealing with
prevalent and emerging risks. Accelerated innovations, challenges in acquiring and retaining
audit talent, and the need for integrated risk assessment with 2nd line functions are just some of
the pressing reasons for Internal Audit to capacitate and equip itself with the right tools and
technology to fulfill its mandate. While the Internal Audit function is facing insurmountable
challenges, its value, relevance, and growth must be sustained.

With the rest of the Board of Trustees and the Professional Office, I enjoin members to attend
and support the events and activities and be volunteers in the various initiatives and programs to
elevate the impact of the Institute to the stakeholders.

Like a Diamond and as #OneIIA, let us Illuminate, Insure, and Acuminate the Path to
Sustainable Relevance and Growth!

Donabel R. Aala, CIA, CFSA, CRMA, CISA, CAMS, CRISC, CPA, MBA
2023 Chairperson and President
Institute of Internal Auditors – Philippines