Dagupan execs asked to account for P100-M NGO aid

Dagupan City in Pangasinan province has failed to liquidate more than P100 million in financial assistance given to nongovernment organizations (NGOs) in all 31 barangays of Northern Luzon’s financial and trading hub, according to state auditors.

In its 2013 annual report released last week, the Commission on Audit found fault with the management of Dagupan City Mayor Benjamin S. Lim for racking up a total of  P105.2 million in unsettled accounts  as of December 31 last year. The COA said that these funds were released between January 2010 and September 2013 but the NGOs who received them have yet to submit supporting documents as proof of project completion.

The COA report did not identify the NGOs or the source of the financial

assistance.

The COA has stepped up its review of state funds being funneled to NGOs in the wake of the P10-billion pork barrel scam allegedly perpetrated by some lawmakers in connivance with businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, who used fake NGOs and foundations to pocket Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF or legislators’ pork barrel funds). Napoles allegedly handed out  hefty kickbacks to the lawmakers and their conduits and got a hefty share herself but  practically nothing was left for the livelihood programs.

The COA also criticized the Dagupan City management for continuing to provide NGOs with additional assistance despite their failure to liquidate previous funds that they received.