Gov’t withheld funds for barangay disaster preparedness–COA

Although the country had been stunned by the effects of Tropical Storms “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” the year before, the Department of Budget did not release funds for barangay disaster preparedness and other locally funded projects of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in 2010, the Commission on Audit found.

In its 2010 report on the DILG released over the weekend, the COA said that of the P527.739 million appropriated for locally funded projects, only P59.739 million or barely one quarter was actually released. This resulted in the non-implementation of eight of ten locally funded projects, including the barangay security, emergency and disaster preparedness, and the rescue and relief operations program for barangays affected by calamities.

As Typhoon “Basyang” slammed Metro Manila and Central Luzon in July 2010, the DILG pleaded for the release of funds for relief and rescue operations but the request was not heeded, the auditors noted.

Over 100 people were reported dead and over 90 were injured before Basyang left the country. Three months later, in October, super Typhoon “Juan,” with Category 5 winds of 250 kph, flattened parts of Isabela and Cagayan, leaving over 30 people dead. Worse disasters were to come in 2011.

Other projects that got no allotments in 2010 were the antipoverty support program for barangay-based development and the performance-based grant program for local government units.

Those that received funding were the emergency response network for Patrol 117 and the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime.

The DILG told the COA that the projects were not implemented because they were placed under the “needing clearance” portion of the budget, and were subject to approval by the Office of the President and Congress prior to the release of the funds.

“These projects had no released appropriations although there were plans and targets prepared, and activities scheduled to be undertaken by the offices responsible for their implementation,” it said.

“Despite the department’s request for the early release of the funds as per letter request dated July 14, 2010, and July 22, 2010, the DBM did not favorably consider the request,” the auditors noted.

The COA said the DILG should insist on the release of the money for its projects.

“We recommend that management make strong representation with the Department of Budget and Management for the release of funds to implement the projects,” it said.