COA flags P1-B unliquidated funding for Asean summit

Some P1.046 billion, or 30 percent of the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s funding for the 2017 Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit, was not liquidated by year-end.

In its 2017 annual audit report, the Commission on Audit (COA) said the implementing agencies to which the DILG made the fund transfers failed to liquidate the amounts on time in December.

Thus, state auditors said “It could not be determined whether the funds intended for the purpose were fully utilized or not.”

The DILG received a total of P3.494 billion, including P2.776 billion from the 2017 General Appropriations Act and P718.71 million charged against the Department of Foreign Affairs’ 2016 budget.

Fully unliquidated by OP

The agency was tasked to oversee security preparations and emergency response for all Asean meetings last year. It transferred funds to 20 implementing agencies, including the Office of the President. (OP)

Notably, the OP failed to liquidate a single peso of the P112.27 million it received.

Other agencies whose fund transfers from the DILG were fully unliquidated were the Bureau of Immigration (P25 million), the Department of Foreign Affairs (P5.06 million), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (P3 million), and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (P1.5 million).

Only 13 other agencies were able to partially liquidate the DILG’s fund transfers.

The unliquidated fund transfers include P80.36 million and P72.71 million from two of the DILG’s attached agencies, the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Fire Protection.

The Presidential Security Group, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Office of Civil Defense accounted for the largest share of unliquidated funds at P297.94 million, P124.47 million and P107.42 million, respectively.

Substantial balances

Other agencies with substantial balances include the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (P60.87 million), Department of Health (P49.77 million), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (P49.6 million) and Philippine Coast Guard (P47.11 million).

The remaining balances were held by the Department of National Defense, National Telecommunications Commission, Department of Information and Communications Technology and Philippine Nuclear Research Institute.