The General Conference Auditing Services of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division transferred to its new office located on the 2nd floor of the newly established Life Hope Impact Center (LHIC) in Silang, Cavite, Philippines.
Distinguished guests from the General Conference Treasury Team, the General Conference Auditing Services from the world headquarters, and other regional offices graced the inauguration to witness this important meeting.
“This movement aims to improve our quality of work and help us provide excellent quality of service to our clients. This also enables us to stay true to our promise and deliver the GCAS branding, “Delivering Excellence,” said Jeremy Smith, associate director for the Trans Asia-Pacific Area.
With this new office, Smith added that it will "accommodate the growing workforce of the Southern Asia-Pacific team and still work together in one place.”
Plans to relocate the GCAS-SSD office from a small housing unit to a fully functional modern workplace have been realized in the past years, but financial challenges and sustaining the operations were a huge consideration. In 2018, the proposal to establish a Center of Influence near the division office materialized and encouraged several institutions to progress the construction of the establishment.
Paul Douglas, former GCAS Executive Director and current Treasurer of the Adventist World Church, joined this important occasion and witnessed the inauguration of the new office himself. He recalled his ministry while he was still in the GCAS office of the world headquarters and how crucial the auditing service is in the church’s world operations in terms of transparency and accountability.
“Transparency and accountability need people… What we have found here is a plethora of those who are CPAs(Certified Public Accountants), those who are delighted to work for the church,” Douglas said. “By having this building, it houses people who are interested in serving; we have the opportunity to promote transparency and accountability around the world through the services provided in this building.
Douglas also encouraged the GCAS-SSD Team, saying that “we do have different roles to perform, but we are all part and co-laborers of the divine mandate, and that is to fulfill God’s mission for his people.”
Looking back at how the GCAS-SSD office has grown and developed through the years, Chief Audit Executive of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Robyn Kajiura, acknowledges the people who were instrumental in making this dream a reality. Kajiura talks about the significance of this new office and how it reflects the character of hard work and dedication of the people who stayed true to its mission.
“It’s an incredible privilege to move into this building. The reach of this office will be a global impact not just on the auditors but also on the shared services group who are preparing audit reports around the world,” Kajiura said.
The GCAS-SSD office is part of the Trans Asia-Pacific Area, servicing the divisions of the Southern Asia-Pacific region, Northern Asia-Pacific region, and South Pacific region.
Edward Rodriguez, SSD Communication Department