MWSS defying warnings on pay, perks, says COA

MANILA, Philippines—The officials of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) continue to defy the warnings from the Commission on Audit (COA) and President Aquino against giving themselves unauthorized allowances and benefits.

In its 2012 report released on Sept. 12, the COA said the water regulatory agency ignored its recommendations in its 2010 and 2011 audit reports to stop paying themselves allowances, bonuses and benefits that had been disallowed.

The President, in his state of the nation address (Sona) in 2010, criticized the MWSS management for the P160.1 million in allowances that they got in 2009.

In 2012, the MWSS paid P51.91 million to its officials and employees for allowances and other benefits in 2012 without the required approval or confirmation from the Office of the President.

The questionable grant led to actual expenditures going over the approved corporate operating budget, the COA said.

Other benefits received by MWSS personnel included monthly “cost of living allowances (Cola)” and “amelioration allowance” equivalent to 40 percent and 10 percent of basic salary, respectively; monthly longevity pay at P200 per year of service; rice allowance at P1,800; and hazard pay amounting to P600; meal allowances computed at P150 per day against the Department of Budget and Management-approved rate of only P66/month; and P52.29 million in allowances in 2012, of which only P379,100 was sanctioned by the DBM.

According to the COA, the questioned allowances were not among those approved by the DBM.

The MWSS also granted a hazard pay to officials and employees assigned at the MWSS office in Old Balara, Quezon City, which was neither a strife-torn or embattled area nor exposed to harmful elements or situations.

The COA cited DBM Budget Circular 2005-4 requiring that the Secretary of National Defense should first certify that the workplace is located at areas of armed conflict before workers can receive hazard-duty pay beyond allowances approved by the DBM.

This same question was raised by the COA in 2011 but the MWSS management said it would seek the opinion of the Occupational Health and Safety Center (OSHC) under the labor department.