COA spots red flags in OSG travel, GAD program transactions

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Audit (COA) has red flagged the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) for foreign trips worth P7.1 million without supporting documents.

Based on COA’s Audit Report of OSG for 2018, the airplane tickets did not have quotations from travel agencies, which goes against the state audit code.

“Airplane tickets for foreign travel amounting to P7,128,374.84 were not supported by complete documents like three quotations of travel agencies or its equivalent among others, contrary to Section 4 of PD No. 1445, The State Audit Code of the Philippines and Section 1.1.4.2 of COA Circular 2012-001 dated June 14, 2012,” the commission pointed out.

COA has already discussed the matter with OSG officials, and recommended that travelling personnel should submit necessary documents before payment and reimbursement.

“We recommended and Management agreed to direct/instruct: a) ensure all documents required be attached before effecting payment/reimbursement of claims,” COA noted.

State auditors likewise called out the OSG for allocating P41.41 million — 4.4 percent of its P939.6 million budget in 2018 — for gender and development (GAD) programs, even if these were not endorsed and approved by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW).

“The agency allotted P41,410,000.00 or 4.4 percent of its total budget of P939,646,000.00 for GAD Programs, Activities and Projects. However, the GAD Plan and Budget (GPB) were not endorsed and approved by Philippines Commission on Women (PCW),” COA explained.

In addition, not all of the projects were implemented, and submission of accomplishment reports was delayed.

COA asked the OSG to follow procedures on the submission of accomplishment reports, aside from ensuring the implementation of GAD programs.

COA had previous issues with the OSG in terms of audit reports.

In June 2018, COA bared that OSG officials received excess allowances worth P10 million.

READ: COA bares OSG’s P10-M ‘excess’ allowances, P800-M ‘illegal’ payments

INQUIRER.net tried to get the side of the OSG but has yet to respond as of posting time.  (Editor: Gilbert S. Gaviola)