Governance Commission urged to closely monitor GOCC operations, expenses

Senator Franklin Drilon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Governance Commission on Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) was urged to closely monitor the corporate operations and expenses of GOCCs.

Senator Franklin Drilon, Chairman of the Committee on Finance, told officers of the Commission during the committee meeting Monday that they should “review the corporate operating budget of GOCCs” as well as their expenses, to check if they were performing well.

Chairman Cesar Villanueva of the Governance Commission on GOCCs (GCG), said “we will not micromanage the GOCCs … we do not want to burden [their] governing boards.”

He said they were instead monitoring GOCCs on whether they had achieved their targets based on their proposed budget to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Drilon urged the GCG to closely coordinate with DBM in reviewing the performance of GOCCs.

The GCG, created through the “GOCC Governance Act of 2011 or Republic Act 10149” authored by Senator Drilon, has the power to implement reorganization, privatization, merger, streamlining or even abolition of underperforming GOCCs.

In the first eight months of 2011, GOCCs received P17.4 billion in government subsidies, the biggest recipients being the National Food Authority and National Livelihood Development Corp.

The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), a GOCC, came under fire after President Benigno Aquino III disclosed the excessive perks and bonuses received by officials and consultants.

Consultants were allegedly getting paid P8,500 as honorarium every meeting, with meetings being held four times a day, four times a month, MWSS Labor Association President Nap Quiñones had previously said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer 990 AM.

MWSS directors each allegedly receives a total of P58,000 as allowance for the meetings, besides P14,500 per diem compensation, Quiñones said.

(The accusations were denied by MWSS chair Ramon Alikpala—Ed.)

Villanueva said that the enactment of the GCG law will help improve the performance of GOCCs in the country and has even inspired some corporations in the private sector.

There are at least 158 GOCCs in the country,

“The trick is how to implement this in the quickest possible time,” he said. “We will do a Robredo-style of leadership [in the commission],” he added.