MisOr gave P2.4 million to NGOs/POs without MOA — COA

September 26, 2008

By Lizanilla J. Amarga

Around P2.4 million was given out by the Provincial Government of Misamis Oriental to Non-Governmental Organizations/People’s Organizations (NGOs/POs) last year without fully complying the revised guidelines set by the Commission on Audit (COA).

In his COA Annual Audit Report 2007, COA-Misamis Oriental provincial auditor Florentino Nueva said a total of P2,374,004.00 was released to NGOs/POs for five projects not found in the Province’s Work and Financial Plan.

He said they discovered that not all beneficiaries are non-profit organizations but business establishments and professional organizations and that not all beneficiaries are based in the Province of Misamis Oriental or Cagayan de Oro City but in Bukidnon and in Davao.

“Most of the releases of funds were not covered with Memorandum of Agreement (MOA),” his report reads adding that the execution of a MOA to cover a certain project is “mandatory the reason being it is in that document that the terms of references are being embodied.”

Nueva said these fund releases were merely supported with a Sangguniang Bayan resolution while others were supported with Training Designs/Activity Proposals or were only attached with letter-requests asking for assistance.

He added that these deficiencies indicate that the Provincial Government failed to strictly follow the revised guidelines in the granting and utilization of funds released to NGOs/POs as provided for in COA Circular No. 2007-001.

Misamis Oriental Acting Provincial Accountant Divina Bade said that, in prior years, the Provincial Government extended financial aid based on the solicitation letter given, the purpose of the assistance and the required official receipts upon release of the amount.

She said this practice was continued thinking that it is allowed by law because no observations were made on this issue in the past annual audit reports and that she only got hold of the revised guidelines specifically COA Circular No. 2007-001 only when the audit report was about to be released.

“With this observations, rest assured that the management will now adhere and comply provisions on COA Circular No. 2007-001 especially Section 4.5.3 to safeguard the government funds vis-à-vis assistance granted to POs and NGOs,” she said.

Nueva recommended for the creation of a committee whose function is to evaluate strictly the legal personality of the particular NGO/Pos together with their required supporting documents.

“The risk that the NGOs/POs awarded with the implementation of identified priority projects may not be able to satisfactorily undertake the projects at terms most advantageous to the beneficiaries, is highly probable,” he said.

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Written by admin · Filed Under Misamis Oriental