ILOILO City – The city government’s Local Economic Enterprise Office (LEEO) maintained that it has addressed deficiencies flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA) involving market revenue collections handled by personnel without valid fidelity bonds.
The state auditor previously questioned instances in which collection officers had expired fidelity bonds or were not bonded, raising concerns over compliance with government revenue collection procedures.
LEEO head Maricel Mabaquiao insisted that only designated accountable officers with valid fidelity bonds are authorized to collect payments, while other market personnel merely assist in administrative operations.
“We do not authorize unbonded employees to collect payments. We have designated accountable officers, while the other personnel only provide assistance,” she said.
Each public market has an assigned accountable officer responsible for collecting, accounting for and remitting revenues, she added.
Mabaquiao also stressed that market collections are remitted daily to the City Treasurer’s Office rather than being kept overnight by LEEO personnel.
“Every day, we do not keep the collected money. We have cash tickets and daily collection reports, and all collections are remitted to the City Treasurer’s Office,” she said.
She said cash tickets and daily collection reports provide documentary safeguards against irregularities and help ensure accountability in handling public funds.
The LEEO chief maintained that the office follows established collection and remittance procedures to protect revenues generated by the city’s public markets./PN
