Irregularities in Iloilo City’s chicken dispersal project bared

ILOILO CITY—A P3.5-million chicken dispersal project implemented by the Iloilo City government is marked by various irregularities including underweight stocks delivered to beneficiaries, an investigation report showed.

Most of the 2,875 chicks distributed to indigent families weighed below the prescribed 300 grams as stipulated in the project contract with supplier Foodwealth Agrovet, according to a report of lawyer Joan Montaño, head of the city government’s internal audit office.

In an eight-page report to acting Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III, Montaño said some of the chicks were also sickly or died shortly after these were distributed.

Those chicks also did not undergo certification by the city veterinarian before these were distributed, according to the report.

Montaño also noted that some beneficiaries received two instead of one set of chicks (a rooster and four hens).

Most of the beneficiaries were also not competent and knowledgeable in breeding chickens.

Espinosa ordered the suspension of the implementation of the project and an investigation amid reports of irregularities. The city council was also conducting a separate investigation.

The chicken dispersal is intended as a livelihood project for poor families who are also recipients of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

It is a component of the P10.37-million Integrated Community Food Production Program of the National Anti-Poverty Commission which funds the project and implemented by the city government.

Under the project, Foodwealth Agrovet will provide each beneficiary a rooster and four hens costing P198.50 each.

A total of 17,000 chickens amounting to P3,473,750 are intended to be distributed to beneficiaries.

Montaño said in her report that the beneficiaries were not allowed to replace or reject stocks that were unhealthy.

The distribution in four districts in the city was also completed contrary to the project term that 2,500 heads should be distributed in all seven districts.

Some of the beneficiaries also transferred the chicks to their hometowns or gave them to their relatives due to lack of space to raise them in the city and financial constraints.