COA: Map agency lost money

The government’s central mapping agency not only forfeited a potential income of P1.6 million for failing to produce saleable maps in 2010, it also ran up a telephone bill of half a million, the Commission on Audit (COA) noted.

The COA also reported that as of December 2010, the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (Namria) sold some P8.4 million worth of maps, but posted an income of only P695,050.

But Namria failed to produce the topographic, contoured, regional and provincial maps and realize P1,614,900 in sales, COA said in its 2011 audit report on Namria for 2010.

This was contrary to Executive Order No. 192, which mandates Namria to provide the Department of Environment and Natural Resources with map-making services and to act as a central mapping agency, it said.

Namria is headed by an administrator. Its policy-making board is chaired by the environment secretary and composed of four other secretaries as members.