In ads, finance dep’t shames delinquent LGU treasurers

The Department of Finance (DOF) on Wednesday released a list of 62 local governments that either failed to submit their second-quarter financial reports or did not file them on time.

In a “Tax Watch” advertisement published in newspapers, the DOF named the cities and provinces that did not meet the July 20 deadline for the submission of their second-quarter electronic Statement of Receipts and Expenditures (eSRE).

The DOF urged taxpayers to “watch where your money goes.” The public campaign aimed to “make local treasurers accountable.” In its ad, the DOJ noted that the fiscal performance of local governments could not be examined if they were noncompliant with regards regular submission of eSREs.

According to the DOF, the following 19 cities did not submit their eSREs: Angeles City, Cavite City, Guihulngan City, Ilagan City, Imus City, Mabalacat City, Malolos City, Marawi City, Masbate City, Naga City (Cebu), Puerto Princesa City, Roxas City, Santa Rosa City, Sorsogon City, Surigao City Tabuk City, Tagbilaran City, Talisay City (Cebu) and Toledo City.

The 23 cities that submitted their eSREs late were: Antipolo City, Batangas City, Canlaon City, Cotabato City, Koronadal City, Ligao City, Maasin City, Makati City, Malabon City, Mandaluyong City, Mati City, Meycauayan City, Naga City (Camarines Sur), Navotas City, Quezon City, San Juan City, San Pablo City, San Pedro City, Sipalay City, Tacloban City, Tagaytay City, Tangub City and Tarlac City.

The eight provinces that failed to submit their second-quarter eSREs were as follows: Biliran, Lanao Del Sur, Maguindanao, Negros Oriental, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Western Samar.

Meanwhile, 12 provinces did not submit their reports on time, namely: Aurora, Basilan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Davao Del Sur, Davao Oriental, Ilocos Sur, Laguna, Masbate, Misamis Oriental, Sorsogon and Southern Leyte.

The DOF also noted which regions performed better than their peers in the submission of eSREs.

“Only the cities of Region I (Ilocos) and Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula) registered 100-percent compliance. Only the provinces of Region II (Cagayan), Region IV-B (Mimaropa), Region VI (Western Visayas), Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula), and Region XIII (Caraga) registered 100-percent compliance,” the DOF disclosed.