ILOILO – The Commission on Audit (COA) questioned the P170.481-million assistance of the Iloilo provincial government (IPG) to local government units (LGUs) intended for their coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response.
According to COA, such amount remained unliquidated as of Dec. 31, 2020 out of the total P278.547-million assistance.
COA said LGUs “failed to submit the fund utilization and report of disbursements”, contrary to the memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the provincial government and the beneficiary.
The non-submission limited “the ascertainment of whether the funds were utilized for the intended purposes,” COA added.
Based on the MOA, LGUs were required to submit the fund utilization on the COVID-19 preventive measures including the report of disbursements “within six months starting from the date of activity and to return the excess or unused fund into IPG, if any.”
But according to Atty. Suzette Mamon, acting provincial administrator, they directed the concerned LGUs to fast track the submission of fund utilization and report of disbursements.
In fact, Mamon said, almost all LGU beneficiaries already submitted their reports.
There had been a delay in submission of liquidation reports because some LGUs did not immediately use the augmented fund, said Mamon.
The LGUs maximized the unitization of available fund balance to cater to their needs, since the COVID-19 pandemic is still prevalent up to this time, Mamon said.
“Ang banwa may ara man sila pundo. Pag-augment sang kwarta sang province, may tendency ang banwa nga unahon anay nila kagasto ang ila (fund),” she added.
Mamon assured the public that the funds augmented by the province to the LGUs were not spent on anything else.
“The amount of transfer of funds partake the nature of trust fund. Specific man ina ang purpose – kon ano didto ang ginhatag kag kon para sa diin nga project or program,” said Mamon.
The augmented fund came from the general fund in the form of donation, subsidy and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
The provincial government augmented the money to LGUs amid the implementation of an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in March last year.
State auditors recommended to beneficiary LGUs to fast track the implementation of the projects, submit promptly the liquidation documents and refund unutilized amount.
The Provincial Planning and Development Office (PDDO) must also continue monitoring the status of fund transfer and issuance of demand letters for submission of the liquidation report and documents and refund of the unused fund balance if the intended purpose had already been served.
Moreover, the Accounting Office must regularly provide the PPDO with the status of fund transfer per LGU to aide in the follow-up and monitoring./PN
