Auditing Standards and Practices Council

Philippine Auditing Practice Statement 1004

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN

BANGKO SENTRALNG PILIPINAS (BSP)
AND BANKS’ EXTERNAL AUDITORS
 PAPS 1004

PHILIPPINE AUDITING PRACTICE STATEMENT 1004

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS (BSP)
AND BANKS’ EXTERNAL AUDITORS

This Philippine Auditing Practice Statement (PAPS or Statement) has been prepared by
the Auditing Standards and Practices Council (ASPC).

The Preface to Philippine Standards on Auditing and Related Services sets out the
purpose and authority attached to PAPS.

PAPS are issued by the ASPC to provide practical assistance to auditors in implementing
the Philippine Standards on Auditing (PSAs) or to promote good practice. Statements do
not have the authority of PSAs.

This PAPS is based on International Auditing Practices Statement (IAPS) 1004. IAPS
1004 has been prepared in association with the Basel Committee on Banking
Supervision* (the Basel Committee). IAPS 1004 was approved for publication by the
International Auditing Practices Committee (IAPC) of the International Federation of
Accountants and by the Basel Committee. It is based on ISAs extant at 1 October 2001.

Banks play a vital role in economic life and the continued strength and stability of the
banking system is a matter of general public concern. The separate roles of banking
supervisors and external auditors are important in this regard. The growing complexity
of banking makes it necessary that there be greater mutual understanding and, where
appropriate, more communication between banking supervisors and external auditors.

*
The Basel Committee on Banking Supervision is a committee of banking supervisory authorities which
was established by the central bank Governors of the Group of Ten countries in 1975. It consists of senior
representatives of banking supervisory authorities and central banks from Belgium, Canada, France,
Germany, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom
and the United States. It usually meets at the Bank for International Settlements in Basel, where its
permanent Secretariat is located.
 PAPS 1004

The purpose of this Statement is to provide information and guidance on how the
relationship between bank auditors and supervisors can be strengthened to mutual
advantage, and it takes into account the Basel Committee’s Core Principles for Effective
Banking Supervision. The ASPC and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) hope that it
will provide useful guidance about the respective roles of the BSP and external auditors.
 PAPS 1004

PHILIPPINE AUDITING PRACTICE STATEMENT

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS (BSP)
AND BANKS’ EXTERNAL AUDITORS

CONTENTS

Paragraphs

Introduction 1-7

The Responsibility of the Bank’s Board of Directors

and Management 8-13

The Role of the Bank’s External Auditor 14-27

The Role of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) 28-45

The Relationship Between the BSP and the Bank’s

External Auditor 46-55

Additional Requests for the External Auditor to Contribute

to the Supervisory Process 56-67

The Need for a Continuing Dialogue Between the BSP

and the Accountancy Profession 68-70

Effective Date 71

Acknowledgment 72-73
 (PAPS 1004)

Introduction

1. Banks play a central role in the economy. They hold the savings of the public,
provide a means of payment for goods and services and finance the development
of business and trade. To perform these functions securely and efficiently,
individual banks must command the confidence of the public and those with
whom they do business. The stability of the banking system, both nationally and
internationally, has therefore come to be recognized as a matter of general public
interest. This public interest is reflected in the way banks, unlike most other
commercial enterprises, are subject to prudential supervision by a specific official
agency, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

2. Banks’ financial statements are also subject to audit by external auditors. The
external auditor conducts the audit in accordance with applicable ethical and
auditing standards, including those calling for independence, objectivity,
professional competence and due care, and adequate planning and supervision.
The auditor’s opinion lends credibility to the financial statements and promotes
confidence in the banking system.

3. As the business of banking grows in complexity, both nationally and

internationally, the tasks of the BSP and external auditors are becoming more and
more demanding. In many respects, the BSP and external auditors face similar
challenges and, increasingly, their roles are being perceived as complementary.
Not only does the BSP benefit from the results of the auditors’ work, but it may
also turn to the external auditor to undertake additional tasks when these tasks
contribute to the performance of their supervisory roles. At the same time,
external auditors, in carrying out their role, also look to the BSP for information
that can help in discharging their responsibilities more effectively.

4. The ASPC and BSP share the view that greater mutual understanding about the
respective roles and responsibilities of the BSP and external auditors and, where
appropriate, communication between them improves the effectiveness of audits of
banks’ financial statements and supervision to the benefit of both disciplines.
 (PAPS 1004)

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5. The roles and responsibilities of a bank’s board of directors1 and management, the
bank’s external auditors, and the BSP derive from law, custom and, for external
auditors, professional practice. This Statement is not intended to challenge or
change these roles or responsibilities. Rather, it is intended to provide a better
understanding of the nature of the roles of bank’s boards of directors and
management, external auditors, and the BSP, since misconceptions about such
roles could lead to inappropriate reliance being placed by one on the work of
another. This Statement seeks to remove possible misconceptions and suggests
how each might make more effective use of the work performed by the other.
The Statement accordingly:

(a) sets out the primary responsibility of the board of directors and
management (paragraphs 8–13);

(b) examines the essential features of the role of external auditors (paragraphs
14–27);

(c) examines the essential features of the role of the BSP (paragraphs 28–45);

(d) reviews the relationship between the BSP and the bank’s external auditor
(paragraphs 46–55); and

(e) describes additional ways in which external auditors and the accountancy
profession can contribute to the supervisory process (paragraphs 56–70).

6. In September 1997 the Basel Committee published its Core Principles for
Effective Banking Supervision, known as the Basel Core Principles. The Basel
Core Principles (which are used in country assessments by organizations such as
the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund) are intended to serve as a
basic reference for an effective supervisory system internationally and in all
countries. This Statement has been prepared taking into account the Basel Core
Principles.

1
The notions of “board of directors” and “management” are used, not to identify legal constructs, but
rather to label two decision-making functions within a bank. Under the Glossary of Terms for PSAs,
management comprises officers and others who also perform senior management functions. The Basel
Core Principles (see paragraph 6) refer to the functions of the board of directors to describe the functions
of those charged with the governance of a bank. The principles set out in this paper are to be applied in
accordance with the corporate governance structure of the bank. The Basel Committee’s paper “Enhancing
Corporate Governance for Banking Organisations” published in September 1999 should be referred to.
 (PAPS 1004)

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7. The arrangements suggested in this Statement do not replace the existing

relationships between the BSP and external auditors. While this Statement is not
intended to be prescriptive, it is hoped that the guidance expressed in it will be
relevant to all situations.

The Responsibility of the Bank’s Board of Directors and the Management

8. The primary responsibility for the conduct of the business of a bank is vested in
the board of directors and the management appointed by it. The board of
directors is primarily responsible for the corporate governance of the bank. It
should establish strategic objectives, policies and procedures that will guide and
direct the activities of the bank, the means to attain these and the mechanism for
monitoring management’s performance. While management of the day-to-day
affairs of the bank is management’s responsibility, the board is, however,
responsible for monitoring and overseeing management action. Specific duties
and responsibilities of the board of directors include, insuring, among others,
that: 2

• Appointed officers are qualified and have integrity, technical expertise and
experience;
• Objectives and a business strategy are established and performance
reviewed;
• Corporate values, codes of conduct and other standards of appropriate
behavior are prescribed;
• Policies are adopted that will prevent the use of facilities in criminal and
other illegal activities;
• Written policies on all major business activities are established and
complied with;
• Responsibilities and decision-making authorities are prescribed;
• A system of checks and balances is established;
• Performance of management is monitored, assessed and controlled;
• Adequate risk management policy is adopted and maintained (including
effective internal controls);
• An audit committee is constituted that will be responsible for, among other
things, the set-up of an internal audit department, appointment of the
external auditor, and monitoring and evaluating the internal control system;

2
See BSP Circular No. 283, Series of 2001.
 (PAPS 1004)

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• Information flows internally and to the public;

• Compliance with existing laws, rules and regulations.

9. Management is responsible for preparing financial statements in accordance with

generally accepted accounting principles in the Philippines, and for establishing
accounting procedures that provide for the maintenance of documentation
sufficient to support the financial statements. This responsibility includes
ensuring that the external auditor who examines and reports on the financial
statements has complete and unhindered access to, and is provided with, all
necessary information that can materially affect them and, consequently, the
auditor’s report on them. Management also has the responsibility to provide all
information to the supervisory agencies that such agencies are entitled by law or
regulation to obtain.

10. Audit committees are set up3 to meet the practical difficulties that may arise in the
board of directors fulfilling its task of ensuring the existence and maintenance of
an adequate system of internal controls. In addition, such a committee reinforces
both the internal control system and the internal audit function. In order to
reinforce the audit committee’s effectiveness, the internal and external auditors
should be allowed and encouraged to attend the meetings of the audit committee.
Regular meetings of the audit committee with the internal and external auditors
help enhance the external auditors independence and the credibility of the internal
auditors, and assist the audit committee to perform its key role on strengthening
corporate governance.

11. Management is responsible for the establishment and the effective operation of an
internal audit function in a bank appropriate to its size and to the nature of its
operations.4 This function is part of the ongoing monitoring of the system of
internal controls because it provides an assessment of the adequacy of, and
compliance with, the bank’s established policies and procedures and assurance as
to the adequacy, effectiveness and sustainability of the bank’s risk management
and control procedures and infrastructure independent of those with day-to-day
responsibility for complying with those policies and procedures. In fulfilling its
duties and responsibilities, management should take all necessary measures to
ensure that there is a continuous and adequate internal audit function.

3
Under BSP Circular No. 283, Series of 2001, audit committees are optional for banks with net worth of
less than P20 million but mandatory if a subsidiary of other banks.
4
BSP Circular No. 283, Series of 2001, provides for the creation an audit committee that will be
responsible for the set-up of an internal audit function. See also footnote 4.
 (PAPS 1004)

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12. In order to be fully effective, the internal audit function should be independent of
the organizational activities it audits or reviews and also should be independent
from the every day internal control process. Every activity and every division,
subsidiary or other component of the banking organization should fall within the
scope of the internal audit function’s review. The professional competence of
each internal auditor and of the internal audit function as a whole is essential for
the proper performance of that function. Therefore, the internal audit function
should be adequately staffed with persons of the appropriate skills and technical
competence who are free from operating responsibilities. The internal audit
function should regularly report to the board of directors and management on the
performance of the internal control and risk management systems and on the
achievement of the internal audit function’s objectives. Management should
establish and approve a procedure ensuring the consideration and, if appropriate,
the implementation of the internal audit function’s recommendations.

13. The responsibilities of the board of directors and management are in no way
diminished by the existence of a system for the supervision of banks by the BSP
or by a requirement for the bank’s financial statements to be audited by an
external auditor.

The Role of the Bank’s External Auditor

14. The objective of an audit of a bank’s financial statements by an external auditor is

to enable an independent auditor to express an opinion as to whether the bank’s
financial statements are prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with
generally accepted accounting principles in the Philippines. PSA 700, “The
Auditor’s Report on Financial Statements” requires the auditor to identify the
country of origin of the financial reporting framework used to prepare the
financial statements.

15. The external auditor’s report is appropriately addressed as required by the

circumstances of the engagement, ordinarily to either the shareholders or the
board of directors. However, the report may be available to many other parties,
such as depositors, other creditors and supervisors. The auditor’s opinion helps to
establish the credibility of the financial statements. The auditor’s opinion,
however, should not be interpreted as providing assurance on the future viability
of the bank or an opinion as to the efficiency or effectiveness with which the
management has conducted the affairs of the bank, since these are not objectives
of the audit.
 (PAPS 1004)

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16. The auditor designs audit procedures to reduce to an acceptably low level the risk
of giving an inappropriate audit opinion when the financial statements are
materially misstated. The auditor assesses the inherent risk of material
misstatements occurring (inherent risk) and the risk that the entity’s accounting
and internal control systems will not prevent or detect and correct material
misstatements on a timely basis (control risk). The auditor assesses control risk as
being high unless the auditor is able to identify controls that are likely to prevent
or detect and correct a material misstatement and conducts tests of the controls
that support a lower assessment of control risk. Based on the assessment of
inherent and control risk, the auditor carries out substantive procedures to reduce
the overall audit risk to an acceptably low level.

17. The auditor considers how the financial statements might be materially misstated
and considers whether fraud risk factors are present that indicate the possibility of
fraudulent financial reporting or misappropriation of assets. The auditor designs
audit procedures to reduce to an acceptably low level the risk that misstatements
arising from fraud and error that are material to the financial statements taken as a
whole are not detected. PSA 240, “The Auditor’s Responsibility to Consider
Fraud and Error in an Audit of Financial Statements” lists fraud risk factors
whose presence may alert the auditor to the possibility of fraud existing. When
the auditor determines that evidence of fraud exists, the auditor is required to
disclose this information to the BSP (see paragraph 27)5.

18. In carrying out the audit of a bank’s financial statements, the external auditor
recognizes that banks have the following characteristics that generally distinguish
them from most other commercial enterprises, and which the auditor takes into
account in assessing the level of inherent risk.

• They have custody of large amounts of monetary items, including cash

and negotiable instruments, whose physical security has to be safeguarded
during transfer and while being stored. They also have custody and
control of negotiable instruments and other assets that are readily
transferable in electronic form. The liquidity characteristics of these items
make banks vulnerable to misappropriation and fraud. Banks therefore
need to establish formal operating procedures, well-defined limits for
individual discretion and rigorous systems of internal control.

5
Required under BSP Circular No. 245, Series of 2000, dated May 25, 2000, as amended by BSP Circular
No. 318. Series of 2002.
 (PAPS 1004)

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• They often engage in transactions that are initiated in one jurisdiction,

recorded in a different jurisdiction and managed in yet another
jurisdiction.

• They operate with very high leverage (that is, the ratio of capital to total
assets is low), which increases banks’ vulnerability to adverse economic
events and increases the risk of failure.

• They have assets that can rapidly change in value and whose value is often
difficult to determine. Consequentially a relatively small decrease in asset
values may have a significant effect on their capital and potentially on
their regulatory solvency.

• They generally derive a significant amount of their funding from short-

term deposits (either insured or uninsured). A loss of confidence by
depositors in a bank’s solvency can quickly result in a liquidity crisis.

• They have fiduciary duties in respect of the assets they hold that belong to
other persons. This may give rise to liabilities for breach of trust. Banks
therefore need to establish operating procedures and internal controls
designed to ensure that they deal with such assets only in accordance with
the terms on which the assets were transferred to the bank.

• They engage in a large volume and variety of transactions whose value

may be significant. This necessarily requires complex accounting and
internal control systems and widespread use of information technology
(IT).

• They ordinarily operate through a network of branches and departments

that are geographically dispersed. This necessarily involves a greater
decentralization of authority and dispersal of accounting and control
functions with consequential difficulties in maintaining uniform operating
practices and accounting systems, particularly when the branch network
transcends national boundaries.

• Transactions can often be directly initiated and completed by the customer

without any intervention by the bank’s employees, for example over the
Internet or through automatic teller machines (ATMs).
 (PAPS 1004)

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• They often assume significant commitments without any initial transfer of

funds other than, in some cases, the payment of fees. These commitments
may involve only memorandum accounting entries. Consequently their
existence may be difficult to detect.

• They are regulated by governmental authorities whose regulatory

requirements often influence the accounting principles that banks follow.
Non-compliance with regulatory requirements, for example, capital
adequacy requirements, could have implications for the bank’s financial
statements or the disclosures therein.

• Customer relationships that the auditor, assistants, or the audit firm may
have with the bank might affect the auditor’s independence in a way that
customer relationships with other organizations would not.

• They generally have exclusive access to clearing and settlement systems

for checks and fund transfers, foreign exchange transactions, etc. They are
an integral part of, or are linked to, national and international settlement
systems and consequently could pose a systemic risk to the countries in
which they operate.

• They may issue and trade in complex financial instruments, some of which
may need to be recorded at fair value in the financial statements. They
therefore need to establish appropriate valuation and risk management
procedures. The effectiveness of these procedures depends on the
appropriateness of the methodologies and mathematical models selected,
access to reliable current and historical market information, and the
maintenance of data integrity.

19. A detailed audit of all transactions of a bank would be not only time-consuming
and expensive but also impracticable. The external auditor therefore bases the
audit on the assessment of the inherent risk of material misstatement, the
assessment of control risk and testing of the internal controls designed to prevent
or detect and correct material misstatements, and on substantive procedures
performed on a test basis. Such procedures comprise one or more of the
following: inspection, observation, inquiry and confirmation, computation and
analytical procedures. In particular, the external auditor is concerned about the
recoverability and consequently the carrying value of loans, investments and other
assets shown in the financial statements and about the identification and adequate
disclosure in the financial statements of all material commitments and liabilities,
contingent or otherwise.
 (PAPS 1004)

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20. While the external auditor has the sole responsibility for the audit report and for
determining the nature, timing and extent of audit procedures, much of the work
of internal auditing can be useful to the external auditor in the audit of the
financial statements. The external auditor, therefore, as part of the audit assesses
the internal audit function insofar as the external auditor believes that it will be
relevant in determining the nature, timing and extent of the audit procedures.

21. PSA 610, “Considering the Work of Internal Auditing” requires external auditors
to consider the activities of internal auditors and their effect, if any, on the nature,
timing, and extent of the external auditor’s procedures. The external auditor
considers the organizational status of the internal audit function, the scope of its
function, the technical competence of its members and the professional care they
exercise when assessing the work of the department.

22. Judgment permeates the auditor’s work. The auditor uses professional judgment
in areas such as:

• assessing inherent and control risk and the risk of material misstatement
due to fraud and error;

• deciding upon the nature, timing and extent of the audit procedures;

• evaluating the results of those procedures; and

• assessing the reasonableness of the judgments and estimates made by

management in preparing the financial statements.

23. An external auditor plans and conducts the audit to obtain reasonable assurance
that misstatements in the bank’s financial statements which, individually or in
aggregate, are material in relation to the financial information presented by those
statements are detected. The assessment of what is material is a matter for the
auditor’s professional judgment, and is influenced by the economic decisions that
users of the bank’s financial statements will take on the basis of those financial
statements. The auditor considers materiality at both the overall financial
statement level and in relation to individual account balances, classes of
transactions and disclosures. Materiality may be influenced by other
considerations such as legal and regulatory requirements and considerations
relating to individual financial statement account balances and relationships. The
process may result in different materiality levels depending on the aspect of the
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financial statements being considered. Similarly, the level of materiality used by

an auditor when reporting on a bank’s financial statements may be different from
the level used when making special reports to the BSP. PSA 320, “Audit
Materiality,” discusses this in more detail.

24. In forming an opinion on the financial statements, the external auditor carries out
procedures designed to obtain reasonable assurance that the financial statements
are prepared in all material respects in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles in the Philippines. An audit does not guarantee all material
misstatements will be detected because of such factors as the use of judgment, the
use of testing, the inherent limitations of internal control and the fact that much of
the evidence available to the auditor is persuasive rather than conclusive in nature.
The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher
than the risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from error,
because fraud may involve sophisticated and carefully organized schemes
designed to conceal it, such as forgery, deliberate failure to record transactions or
intentional misrepresentation being made to the auditor. Such attempts at
concealment may be even harder to detect when accompanied by collusion.
Furthermore, the risk of the auditor not detecting a material misstatement
resulting from management fraud is greater than for employee fraud, because
boards of directors and management are often in a position that assumes their
integrity and enables them to override the formally established control
procedures. Therefore, the auditor plans and performs an audit with an attitude of
professional skepticism, recognizing that circumstances may exist that cause the
financial statements to be materially misstated.

25. When the auditor discovers a misstatement material to the financial statements
taken as a whole, including the use of an inappropriate accounting policy or asset
valuation or a failure to disclose essential information, the auditor asks
management to adjust the financial statements to correct the misstatement. If
management refuses to make the correction the auditor issues a qualified or an
adverse opinion on the financial statements. Such a report could have a serious
effect on the credibility and even stability of the bank, and management therefore
usually takes the steps necessary to avoid it. Likewise, an auditor issues a
qualified opinion or a disclaimer of opinion if management has not provided the
auditor with all the information or explanations the auditor requires.
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26. As a supplementary but not necessarily integral part of the audit, the external
auditor ordinarily communicates certain information to management. This
information may contains comments on such matters as material weaknesses in
internal control or misstatements that have come to the auditor’s attention during
the course of the audit, but which do not warrant a modification of the audit report
(either because additional procedures have been performed to compensate for a
weakness in control or because the misstatements have been corrected in the
financial statements or are immaterial in their context). The external auditor also
communicates matters of governance to those charged with the governance of the
bank.

27. The external auditor is required to report to the BSP the following6:

• any material finding during the audit involving fraud or dishonesty which
will reduce capital funds by at least one percent (1%) (see paragraph 17);

• adjustments or potential losses amounting to at least one percent (1%) of

capital funds of the bank; or

• any finding to the effect that the total bank assets, on a going concern
basis, are no longer adequate to cover the total claims of creditors.

The Role of the BSP

28. The key objective of prudential supervision is to maintain stability and confidence
in the financial system, thereby reducing the risk of loss to depositors and other
creditors. In addition, supervision also is often directed toward verifying
compliance with laws and regulations governing banks and their activities.
However, in this Statement the focus is on the prudential aspect of the BSP’s role.

29. One of the tools of banking supervision is the system of licensing, which allows
the BSP to identify the population to be supervised and to control entry into the
banking system. In order to qualify for and retain a banking license, entities must
observe certain prudential requirements. These requirements are defined in BSP
regulations. The following basic requirements for a banking license ordinarily are
found in the BSP systems of supervision:

6
Required under BSP Circular No. 245, Series of 2000, dated May 25, 2000, as amended by BSP Circular
No. 318, Series of 2002.
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• the bank must have suitable shareholders and members of the board (this
notion includes integrity and standing in the business community as well
as the financial strength of all major shareholders);

• the bank’s management must be honest and trustworthy and must possess
appropriate skills and experience to operate the bank in a sound and
prudent manner;

• the bank’s organization and internal control must be consistent with its
business plans and strategies;

• the bank should have a legal structure in line with its operational structure;

• the bank must have adequate capital to withstand the risks inherent in the
nature and size of its business; and

• the bank must have sufficient liquidity to meet outflows of funds.

30. Further and more detailed requirements are prescribed, including minimum
numerical ratios for the adequacy of the bank’s capital and liquidity. The
objective of regulation is to set conditions to ensure that a bank conducts its
business prudently and has adequate financial resources to overcome adverse
circumstances and safeguard the interest of the depositors.

31. In addition to licensing new banks, the BSP has the authority to review and reject
any proposal to transfer significant ownership or a controlling interest in existing
banks to other parties.

32. Ongoing banking supervision ordinarily is conducted on the basis of

recommendations and guidance. However, the BSP has at its disposal recourse to
legal powers to bring about timely corrective action when a bank fails to meet
prudential requirements, when there are violations of laws or regulations, or when
depositors are faced with a substantial risk of loss. In extreme circumstances, the
BSP has the authority to revoke the bank’s license.
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33. One of the foundations of prudential supervision is capital adequacy. There are
minimum capital requirements for the establishment of new banks and capital
adequacy tests are a regular element in ongoing supervision. 7 In the consultative
package “The New Basel Capital Accord” issued by the Basel Committee in
January 2001, the Basel Committee proposes a capital adequacy framework based
on three complementary pillars: minimum capital requirements, a supervisory
review process and market discipline.

• The first pillar defines the minimum capital requirements for three broad
categories of risks: credit risk, market risk and operational risk.

• The second pillar, the supervisory review process, relies on the following
principles. Banks must have sufficient solvency in relation to its risk
profile and supervisors must have the ability to require banks to hold
capital in excess of the minimum. Banks should assess internally and on
an ongoing basis their capital adequacy based on their present and future
risk profile and supervisors should review the banks’ internal capital
adequacy assessment procedure. Finally, supervisors must intervene
early, taking into account the relatively illiquid nature of most bank assets
and the limited options most banks have in raising capital quickly.

• The third pillar, market discipline, enhances the role of market participants
in encouraging banks to hold adequate levels of capital. In this respect,
banks must disclose quantitative and qualitative information about their
capital and risk profile.

34. Banks are subject to a variety of risks. The BSP monitors and may limit a range
of banking risks, such as credit risk, market risk (including interest and foreign
exchange risk), liquidity and funding risk, operational risk, legal risk and
reputational risk. It may also develop systems of measurement that will capture
the extent of exposure to specific risks (for example, the risks involved in
derivative financial instruments). These systems may form the basis for specific
controls or limits on the various categories of exposure.

7
See BSP Circular 280, Series of 2001, for capital requirements for credit risks.
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35. The most significant of banking risks, in terms of historical loss experience, is the
risk that a customer or counterparty will not settle an obligation for full value,
either when due or at any time thereafter (sometimes referred to as credit risk). It
is not the BSP’s role to direct banks’ lending policies, but it is essential for the
BSP to be confident that the bank has adopted a sound system for managing credit
risk. The BSP also evaluates the effectiveness of a bank’s policies and practices
for assessing loan quality. The BSP seeks to be satisfied that the methods
employed and judgments made by management to calculate allowances produce
an aggregate amount of specific and general allowances that is adequate to absorb
estimated credit losses, on a timely basis, in accordance with appropriate policies
and procedures. In addition, the BSP also seeks to ensure that credit risk is
adequately diversified by means of rules to limit exposures, whether in terms of
individual borrowers, industrial or commercial sectors or particular countries or
economic regions.

36. Although it is difficult to assess, the quality of a bank’s loans and other assets is
one of the most critical determinants of its financial condition. Accordingly,
accurate and prudent valuation of assets is of great importance for the BSP
because it has a direct bearing on the determination of the reported amount of the
bank’s capital. As already indicated, capital is widely used as the supervisory
standard against which exposures are measured or limited. While the proper
valuation of assets is one of the primary responsibilities of management, the
valuation process often involves considerable judgment. In general, unless the
BSP performs its own evaluation of this process to determine its accuracy and
compliance with documented policies and procedures, the BSP relies in large part
on the management’s judgment of the proper valuation of assets and on the fact
that valuations that appear in the financial statements have been subjected to
external audit.

37. The BSP attaches considerable importance to the need for banks to have in place
internal controls that are adequate for the nature, scope and scale of their business.
The purpose of internal controls is to assist in achieving management’s objective
of ensuring, as far as practicable, the orderly and efficient conduct of its business,
including adherence to management policies, the safeguarding of assets, the
prevention and detection of fraud and error, the accuracy and completeness of the
accounting records, and the timely preparation of reliable financial information.

38. The development of sophisticated real-time computerized information systems

has greatly improved the potential for control, but in turn has brought with it
additional risks arising from the possibility of computer failure or fraud. The
introduction of E-Commerce has also introduced significant new risks and
requires, in turn, additional controls.
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39. The BSP is concerned to ensure that the quality of management is adequate for
the nature and scope of the business. Where on-site inspections are carried out,
the examiners have an opportunity to notice signs of management deficiencies.
The BSP may also arrange to interview management on a regular basis and
pursues other opportunities for contacts where they arise. The BSP tries to use
these opportunities to understand management’s business plans and strategies and
how it expects to achieve them. Similarly, the BSP seeks to discover whether the
bank is properly equipped to carry out its functions in terms of the skills and
competence of its staff and the equipment and facilities at its disposal. The
information gained from these contacts with management assists the BSP in
forming an opinion about management’s competence.

40. Effective supervision requires the collection and analysis of information about
supervised banks. For example, the BSP collects, reviews and analyzes prudential
reports and statistical returns from banks. These include basic financial
statements as well as supporting schedules that provide greater detail. These
reports are used to check adherence to certain prudential requirements and they
also provide a basis for discussions with the bank’s management. Off-site
monitoring can often identify potential problems, particularly in the interval
between on-site inspections, thereby providing early detection and prompting
corrective action before problems become more serious.

41. The BSP must have a means of validating the information they receive either
through on-site inspections or the use of external auditors. On-site work, whether
done by the BSP’s own staff or commissioned by the BSP but undertaken by
external auditors, is structured to provide independent verification of whether an
adequate internal control system, meeting the specific criteria the BSP mandates,
exists at individual banks and whether the information provided by banks is
reliable.

42. To enhance their understanding of a bank’s corporate governance and system of

operation, BSP authorities may meet periodically with the bank’s audit committee
or its board of directors. This provides an opportunity for the audit committee or
the board of directors to discuss any concerns it may have about the management
of the bank and enables the BSP to form a view as to the audit committee’s
effectiveness.
 (PAPS 1004)

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43. Banking supervisors are interested in ensuring that all the work performed by
external auditors is carried out by auditors who:

• are properly licensed and in good standing;

• have relevant professional experience and competence;

• are subject to a quality assurance program;

• are independent in fact and appearance of the bank audited;

• are objective and impartial; and

• comply with any other applicable ethical requirements.8

44. Accordingly, the BSP has established requirements for the selection of external
auditors of banks.9 This is intended to ensure that the external auditors the banks
appoint have the necessary experience, resources and skills to conduct bank
audits. Where there is no obvious reason for a change of external auditor, the
BSP may also investigate the circumstances that caused the bank not to reappoint
the auditor.

45. The BSP has a clear interest in ensuring high standards of bank auditing.
Moreover, an important concern of the BSP is the independence of the external
auditor who performs the audit of a bank, particularly when the auditor also
provides certain types of non-audit services to the bank. Accordingly, the BSP
maintains close contact with the ASPC in order to address issues of mutual
interest.

8
The auditor complies with the provisions of the Philippine Code of Professional Ethics for Certified
Public Accountants.
9
See BSP Circular No. 245, Series of 2000, dated May 25, 2000, as amended by BSP Circular No. 318,
Series of 2002.
 (PAPS 1004)

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The Relationship Between the BSP and the External Auditor

46. In many respects the BSP and the external auditor have complementary concerns
regarding the same matters though the focus of their concerns is different.

• The BSP is primarily concerned with maintaining the stability of the

banking system and fostering the safety and soundness of individual banks
in order to protect the interests of the depositors. Therefore, the BSP
monitors the present and future viability of banks and uses their financial
statements in assessing their condition and performance. The external
auditor, on the other hand, is primarily concerned with reporting on the
bank’s financial statements ordinarily either to the bank’s shareholders or
board of directors. In doing so, the auditor considers the appropriateness
of management’s use of the going concern assumption. The auditor
considers the period of assessment used by management and, when that
period is less than 12 months from the balance sheet date, asks
management to extend the assessment period to at least 12 months from
the balance sheet date. If management refuses to do so PSA 570, “Going
Concern,” requires the auditor to consider the need to modify the auditor’s
report as a result of the limitation of the auditor’s work. The auditor also
inquires of management as to its knowledge of events or conditions
beyond the period of assessment used by management that may cast
significant doubt on the bank’s ability to continue as a going concern.

• The BSP is concerned with the maintenance of a sound system of internal

control as a basis for safe and prudent management of the bank’s business.
The external auditor, in most situations, is concerned with the assessment
of internal control to determine the degree of reliance to be placed on the
system in planning and performing the audit.

• The BSP must be satisfied that each bank maintains adequate records
prepared in accordance with consistent accounting policies and practices
that enable the BSP to appraise the financial condition of the bank and the
profitability of its business, and that the bank publishes or makes available
on a regular basis financial statements that fairly reflect its condition. The
external auditor is concerned with whether adequate and sufficiently
reliable accounting records are maintained in order to enable the entity to
prepare financial statements that do not contain material misstatements
and thus enable the external auditor to express an opinion on those
statements.
 (PAPS 1004)

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47. When the BSP uses audited financial statements in the course of supervisory
activities, the BSP needs to bear in mind the following factors.

• Supervisory needs are not ordinarily the primary purpose for which the
financial statements were prepared;

• An audit in accordance with PSAs is designed to provide reasonable

assurance that the financial statements taken as a whole are free from
material misstatement;

• The importance of the accounting policies used in the preparation of the

financial statements as generally accepted accounting principles in the
Philippines require the exercise of judgment in their application and may
allow choices in certain policies or how they are applied;

• Financial statements include information based on judgments and

estimates made by the management and examined by the auditor;

• The financial position of the bank may have been affected by subsequent
events since the financial statements were prepared;

• The BSP cannot assume that the auditor’s evaluation of internal control
for the purposes of the audit will necessarily be adequate for the purposes
for which the BSP needs an evaluation, given the different purposes for
which internal control is evaluated and tested by the BSP and the auditor;
and

• The controls and accounting policies that the external auditor considers
may not be the ones that the bank uses when preparing information for the
BSP.

48. Nonetheless, there are many areas where the work of the BSP and of the external
auditor can be useful to each other. Communications from auditors to
management and other reports submitted by auditors can provide BSP with
valuable insight into various aspects of the bank’s operations. Such reports may
be made available to the BSP.
 (PAPS 1004)

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49. Similarly, external auditors may obtain helpful insights from information
originating from the BSP. When a supervisory inspection or a management
interview takes place, the conclusions drawn from the inspection or interview are
customarily communicated to the bank. These communications can be useful to
auditors inasmuch as they provide an independent assessment in important areas
such as the adequacy of the allowance for loan losses and focus attention on
specific areas of supervisory concern. The BSP may also develop certain
informal prudential ratios or guidelines that may be made available to the banks
and that can be of assistance to auditors in performing analytical reviews.

50. When communicating with management, both the BSP and external auditors are
aware of the benefits that can flow to each other from knowledge of the matters
contained in such communications. It is therefore advantageous for
communications of this nature to be made in writing, so that they form part of the
bank’s records to which the other party should have access.

51. In order to preserve the concerns of both parties regarding the confidentiality of
information acquired while carrying out their respective functions, it is normal
that, when contacts between the BSP and the external auditor become necessary,
management of the bank is also present or at least informed. It is recommended
that timely and appropriate measures be taken so that external auditors cannot be
held liable for information disclosed in good faith to the BSP in accordance with
applicable laws and regulations. These measures can take the form of legal
initiatives or can be an agreement among the bank, its management, the external
auditor and the BSP.10 This is particularly true when the presence of management
would compromise the discussion, for example, where the auditor believes that
management is involved in fraudulent conduct.

10
BSP Circular 245, Series of 2000, dated May 25, 2000, as amended by BSP Circular No. 318, Series of
2002, provides that the contract between the bank and the external auditor shall contain a provision that the
disclosure of information by the external auditor to the BSP shall not be a ground for civil, criminal or
disciplinary proceeding against the auditor.
 (PAPS 1004)

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52. PSA 260, “Communications of Audit Matters With Those Charged With
Governance,” identifies matters of governance interest and requires auditors to
communicate those matters on a timely basis to those charged with governance.11
Audit matters of governance interest include only those matters that have come to
the attention of the auditor as a result of the performance of the audit. The auditor
is not required, in an audit in accordance with PSAs, to design procedures for the
specific purpose of identifying matters of governance interest. Certain audit
matters of governance interest are likely to be of interest to the BSP, particularly
where those matters may require urgent action by the BSP. When required by the
BSP, the auditor communicates such matters to the BSP on a timely basis (see
paragraph 27). In situations where there are no such requirements, agreements or
protocols, the auditor encourages the bank’s management or those charged with
governance to communicate on a timely basis matters that, in the auditor’s
judgment, may be of urgent interest to the BSP. Furthermore, even if there is no
requirement to do so, the auditor considers communicating such matters to the
BSP when management or those charged with governance do not do so. In such
circumstances, the auditor considers whether the law protects the auditor when
such communications are made.

11
Ordinarily such matters include:
• The general approach and overall scope of the audit, including any expected limitations thereon, or any
additional requirements;
• The selection of, or changes in, significant accounting policies and practices that have, or could have, a
material effect on the entity’s financial statements;
• The potential effect on the financial statements of any significant risks and exposures, such as pending
litigation, that are required to be disclosed in the financial statements;
• Audit adjustments, whether or not recorded by the entity, that have or could have, a significant effect
on the entity’s financial statements;
• Material uncertainties related to events and conditions that may cast significant doubt on the entity’s
ability to continue as a going concern;
• Disagreements with management about matters that, individually or in aggregate, could be significant
to the entity’s financial statements or the auditor’s report. These communications include
consideration of whether the matter has, or has not, been resolved and the significance of the matter;
• Expected modifications to the auditor’s report;
• Other matters warranting attention by those charged with governance, such as material weaknesses in
internal control, questions regarding management integrity, and fraud involving management; and
• Any other matters agreed upon in the terms of the engagement.
 (PAPS 1004)

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53. The following are examples of types of other matters that may come to the
attention of the auditor and may require urgent action by the BSP:

• information that indicates a failure to fulfill one of the requirements for a

banking license;

• a serious conflict within the decision-making bodies or the unexpected

departure of a manager in a key function;

• information that may indicate a material breach of laws and regulations or

the bank’s articles of incorporation, charter or by-laws;

• the intention of the auditor to resign or the removal of the auditor from
office; and

• material adverse changes in the risks of the bank’s business and possible
risks going forward.

In many cases the external auditor also communicates these matters to those
charged with governance.

54. The external auditor may carry out specific assignments or issues special reports
in accordance with statutes or at the request of the BSP to assist the BSP in
discharging its supervisory functions. These duties may include reporting upon
whether:

• licensing conditions have been complied with;

• the systems for maintaining accounting and other records and the systems
of internal control are adequate;

• the method used by the bank to prepare reports for the BSP is adequate
and the information included in these reports, which may include specified
ratios of assets to liabilities and other prudential requirements, is accurate;

• the organization is adequate based on criteria provided by the BSP;

• laws and regulations are complied with; and

• appropriate accounting policies are adhered to.

 (PAPS 1004)

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55. The BSP and internal and external auditors cooperate with each other to make
their contributions to the supervisory process more efficient and effective. The
cooperation optimizes supervision while allowing each party to concentrate on its
own responsibilities. The cooperation may be based on periodic meetings of the
BSP and the external and internal auditors.

Additional Requests for the External Auditor to Contribute to the Supervisory

Process

56. A request of the BSP to an external auditor to assist in specific supervisory tasks
should be made in the context of a well-defined framework that is set forth in
applicable law or a contractual agreement between the bank and the BSP. These
requests may in some cases be the subject of a separate engagement. In this
situation, the following criteria should be established.

57. First, the basic responsibility for supplying complete and accurate information to
the BSP must remain with the bank’s management. The external auditor’s role is
to report on that information or on the application of particular procedures. As
such, the auditor does not assume any supervisory responsibilities, but, by
providing this report, enables the BSP to make judgments about the bank more
effectively.

58. Second, the normal relationship between the external auditor and the audited bank
needs to be safeguarded. If there are no other statutory requirements or
contractual arrangements governing the external auditor’s work, all information
flows between the BSP and the auditor typically are channeled through the bank
except in exceptional circumstances. Thus, the BSP will request the bank to
arrange to obtain the information it requires from the auditor and such information
will be submitted to the BSP through the bank. Any meetings between the
external auditor and the BSP will, except as indicated in paragraphs 51 and 52
above, be attended by representatives of the bank, and the bank’s approval will be
required before the auditor transmits copies of communications to management
and other reports to the BSP.12

59. Third, before concluding any arrangements with the BSP, the external auditor
considers whether any conflicts of interest may arise. If so, these need to be
satisfactorily resolved before the commencement of the work, normally by
obtaining the prior approval of the bank’s management to undertake the
assignment.

12
Banks may furnish copies of the external auditor’s communications to management and other special
reports directly to the BSP.
 (PAPS 1004)

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60. Fourth, the supervisory requirements must be specific and clearly defined in
relation to the information required. This means that the BSP needs, as far as
possible, to describe the standards against which the bank’s performance can be
measured, so that the auditor can report whether or not they have been achieved.
If, for example, information is required on the quality of loan assets, the BSP has
to specify what criteria are to be used in classifying the loans according to risk
category. Similarly, wherever possible, some understanding must be reached
between the BSP and external auditors regarding the concept of materiality.

61. Fifth, the tasks that the BSP asks the external auditor to perform need to be within
the auditor’s competence, both technical and practical. The auditor may, for
example, be requested to assess the extent of a bank’s exposure to a particular
borrower or country. However, without clear and specific guidance, the auditor
will not be in a position to judge whether any particular exposures are excessive.
In addition, audits are carried out at intervals and not continuously, so that, for
example, it is not reasonable to expect the external auditor, in addition to the work
necessary to conduct the audit, to carry out a complete evaluation of internal
control or to monitor a bank’s compliance with all supervisory rules except
through an ongoing program of work over a period of time.

62. Sixth, the external auditor’s task for the BSP must have a rational basis. This
means that except in special circumstances the task must be complementary to the
regular audit work and can be performed more economically or more
expeditiously than by the BSP, either because of the auditor’s specialized skills or
because duplication is thereby avoided.

63. Finally, certain aspects of confidentiality need to be protected, in particular the

confidentiality of information obtained by the external auditor through
professional relationships with other audit clients and not available to the bank or
the public.

64. The way in which the external auditor’s role can be extended depends on the
nature of the supervisory environment. For example, if the BSP follows an active
approach, with frequent and rigorous inspection, the assistance that might be
asked of the external auditor will normally be minimal. If, on the other hand,
there is a history of less direct supervision, primarily based on the analysis of
reported information provided by bank’s management, as opposed to inspection,
or if supervisory resources are limited, the BSP can benefit from the assistance
that the external auditor can offer in providing assurance on the information
obtained.
 (PAPS 1004)

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65. The current supervisory approach may contain elements of both inspection and
analysis of reported information. As banking develops in complexity, inspection
is proving more and more demanding in terms of supervisory resources. Greater
reliance may need to be placed on reported information, and the BSP may look to
the external auditor for assistance in those areas for which the auditor’s skills are
particularly suited.

66. Where the BSP has previously relied solely on their analysis of prudential returns,
it may find that a certain degree of on-the-spot examination is a desirable
safeguard. In this case, the BSP may rely more than before on external auditors to
assist them by performing specific tasks (see paragraph 54).

67. Where contacts between external auditors and the BSP have become close over a
long period, a bond of mutual trust may be built up and extended experience of
collaboration may enable each to benefit from the other’s work. Experience may
indicate that the conflicts of interest that auditors may in principle perceive as
preventing close collaboration with the BSP assume less importance in practice
and do not present an obstacle to a fruitful dialogue.

The Need for a Continuing Dialogue Between the BSP and the Accountancy
Profession

68. If the BSP is to derive benefit from the work of external auditors on a continuing
basis, the BSP should discuss current areas of supervisory concern with the
accounting profession as a whole. This can be achieved through periodic
discussions between the BSP and the professional accountancy bodies. Such
discussions could cover areas of mutual concern. It is of considerable assistance
to auditors in making informed judgments if they were to have as clear an
understanding as possible of the BSP’s knowledge and attitude on such matters.
In the course of such discussions, the BSP should also have an opportunity to
express their views on accounting policies and auditing standards generally and
on specific audit procedures in particular. This assists in improving the general
standard of audits of banks’ financial statements. It is advisable for the banks’
own industry associations to be involved in discussions on these topics, for
example, through the head of the internal audit function, to ensure that the views
of all parties are taken into account.

69. Discussions between the BSP and professional accountancy bodies could also
usefully include major auditing issues and topical accounting problems, such as
the appropriate accounting techniques for newly developed instruments, and other
aspects of financial innovation and securitization. These discussions could assist
in banks’ adoption of the most appropriate accounting policies.
 (PAPS 1004)

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70. Both the BSP and the accountancy profession have an interest in achieving
uniformity among banks in their application of appropriate accounting policies.
The BSP is often able to exercise a persuasive influence over banks in achieving
uniform policies because of their regulatory powers, while external auditors are
often better placed to monitor or review the actual application of such policies. A
continuing dialogue between the BSP and the profession could therefore
significantly contribute towards the harmonization of accounting standards for
banks at the national level.

Effective Date

71. This PAPS shall be effective for audits of financial statements for periods ending
on or after December 31, 2003. Earlier application is encouraged.

Acknowledgment

72. This PAPS, The Relationship Between Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and
Banks’ External Auditors, is based on International Auditing Practice Statement
(IAPS) 1004, The Relationship Between Banking Supervisors and Banks’
External Auditors.

73. This PAPS differs from IAPS 1004 mainly with respect to the following matters:

(a) The term “banking supervisor” (and equivalent terms) used in IAPS 1004
was changed to “Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.”

(b) The provisions of BSP Circular No. 283 relating to the specific duties and
responsibilities of the banks’ board of directors were incorporated in
paragraph 8 of this PAPS to replace the general responsibilities of the
board of directors and management included in the IAPS.

(c) The relevant provisions of applicable BSP Circulars (e.g., Circular

No. 245, as amended by Circular No. 318; Circular No. 280; and Circular
No. 283) were incorporated in the related discussions in the PAPS or
referred to in the footnotes.

(d) The reporting framework in accordance with which the bank’s financial
statements should be prepared (on which the bank’s external auditors will
express an opinion) is specified in the PAPS to be the generally accepted
accounting principles in the Philippines.
 (PAPS 1004)

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This Philippine Auditing Practice Statement 1004 was unanimously approved on

February 24, 2003 by the members of the Auditing Standards and Practices Council:

Benjamin R. Punongbayan, Chairman Antonio P. Acyatan, Vice Chairman

Felicidad A. Abad David L. Balangue

Eliseo A. Fernandez Nestorio C. Roraldo

Editha O. Tuason Joaquin P. Tolentino

Joycelyn J. Villaflores Carlito B. Dimar

Froilan G. Ampil Erwin Vincent G. Alcala

Horace F. Dumlao Isagani O. Santiago

Eugene T. Mateo Emma M. Espina

Jesus E. G. Martinez