COA, pinuna ang Ormoc City dahil sa kabiguan na gamitin ang pondo para sa mga biktima ng Typhoon Odette

TINAWAGAN ng pansin ng Commission on Audit (COA) ang Ormoc City government dahil sa kabiguan na gamitin ang P9 milyong halaga ng  financial assistance mula sa Office of the President (OP) na dapat sana’y para tulungan ang mga biktima ng Typhoon Odette noong December 2021.

Sa 2022 annual audit report ng  COA ukol sa Ormoc City, nakasaad dito na mayroong  P9 million financial aid para sa typhoon victims ang hindi ginamit bago pa “it was due for return” sa National Treasury noong  December 31, 2022.

“The P9 million is broken down to P4,702,177 charged against the Contingent Fund in 2021 and another batch worth P4,397,080 which was also charged to the Contingent Fund in the same year,” ayon sa COA.

“Further verification disclosed that funds under Batches 1 and 2 were not utilized. Neither were these reverted to the National Treasury on December 31, 2022,” ayon pa rin sa komisyon.

“In a hard copy submitted by the Accounting Office on the composition of the Due to National Government Agencies (NGAs) account under the subsidiary Ledger of the Office of the President, these funds were included thereto with the Remarks stating that the remaining funds are allocated for capital outlay projects per Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund Annual Investment Program for year 2022,” dagdag na pahayag ng COA.

Ang mga nasabing capital outlay projects para sa 2022 na ikinarga sa P9 million 2021 Contingent fund ay ang “communications equipment (P 6,200,500), disaster response and rescue equipment (P1,498,757), at technical and scientific equipment (P1.4 million).”

Sinabi ng COA na ang non-utilization ng  2021 contingent fund na ibinigay ng Office of the President (OP) para tulungan ang  typhoon victims ay salungat sa guidelines na nakasaad sa Sections 3.5 at 3.8 ng  Local Budget Circular No. 140, “hence depriving the constituents of the benefits of the rehabilitation and recovery from the effects of Typhoon Odette.”

Nakasaad sa Local Budget Circular No. 140 na “the financial assistance to LGUs should be used for disaster risk reduction and management, specifically for disaster response, rehabilitation, and recovery.”

Nakasaad dito na “the specific programs, projects, and activities (PPAs) that may be implemented should be consistent with the allowable PPAs prescribed under items 5.3, 5.4, and 5.5 of NDRRMC-DBM-Department of the Interior and Local Government Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2013-1 dated March 25, 2013.”

“The delay in the utilization of the fund transfers from the Office of the President for the qualified PPAs before it was due for return on the prescribed period deprived the intended beneficiaries of the benefits that could have been derived therefrom, specifically on rehabilitation and recovery after the devastation of Typhoon Odette. We recommended that the City Mayor direct the heads of the departments responsible, to submit justifications for non-utilization of the funds within the prescribed period,” ayon sa COA.

“We recommended that the City Mayor direct the heads of the departments responsible, to submit justifications for non-utilization of the funds within the prescribed period. Also, we recommended that the City Treasurer and City Accountant should prepare the disbursement voucher for the return to the National Treasury pursuant to Section 3.8 of LBC No. 140, the unutilized amount totaling P9,099,257,” dagdag na pahayag ng COA.

Taong 2021, si Richard Gomez ang Alkalde ng Ormoc City’. Siya ngayon ay Leyte representative.

Samantala, bilang tugon sa natuklasan ng COA, sinabi ng Ormoc City government na may ilang depekto sa procurement dahilan para maantala o magkaroon ng non-delivery mula sa  awarded supplier ng equipment na bibilhin mula sa pondo mula sa Contingent Fund ng OP.

“As a result, the Service Chief of the Technical Audit Services Group of COA Region 8 who also attended the exit conference advised the management on the proper procedure to rescind the contract/purchase order on this particular procurement and to blacklist said supplier for failing to deliver on time leading to the expiry of the utilization of the fund from the Office of the President,” ayon sa ulat.

“In addition, the Supervising Auditor advised the Ormoc City government to make representations with the source agency to possibly retain the fund so they could still use it for the intended purpose,” ayon pa rin sa ulat.

(Daris Jose)