It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2017562/sulu-election-exec-survives-ambush-in-zamboanga-city |
Lawyer Vidzfar Amil Julie, provincial election supervisor in Sulu, escaped death from an ambush on Saturday morning in Barangay Santa Maria, this city.
In a police report obtained by the Inquirer, Patrolman Joshua Amilhussin, investigator of the case, said the incident took place around 10:30 a.m.
Julie, 51, was with his older brother, Nasser Asiri, 57, when attacked. Although he was unharmed, Nasser reportedly suffered a gunshot wound in the head.
Both were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Police said the suspects, wearing black jackets with full-face helmets on, were on board a motorcycle.
After he was declared safe from harm, Julie took to social media to slam his attackers as “cowards” for not facing him squarely.
An election executive has survived an assassination attempt.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2017430/coa-p152-m-tesda-tool-kits-undistributed |
More than 50,000 entrepreneurship starter tool kits in 2023 that were left undistributed to scholars of one of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority’s (Tesda) programs could lead to wastage that would cost the government at least P152 million, state auditors said.
Of the 58,222 undistributed tool kits for Special Training for Employment Program (Step) beneficiaries, 42,080 units, or the majority were worth a total P151.85 million, while the remaining 16,142 units had an undetermined cost due to the agency’s “still unresolved problems on late procurement,” according to the 2023 annual report by the Commission on Audit (COA).
Step was implemented in line with Republic Act No. 10931, or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (UAQTEA).
Based on a 2021 circular issued by Tesda, the tool kits would help Step beneficiaries jump-start any income-generating activities they plan to pursue once they graduate.
COA also called out Tesda for having produced only 20 graduates in its five-year implementation of the UAQTEA despite having an allocation of P276.37 million and a total of 2,071 filled slots for scholarship. The graduates obtained a three-year diploma in hotel and restaurant technology.
The Sariling Sikap Program (SSP), a revolving fund meant to enable Tesda to become a self-sufficient and income-generating entity, was also found with irregularities, as its accumulated balance remained high at P631.1 million at the end of 2023.
This balance resulted in the “improper utilization” by Tesda operating unit of the SSP funds that amounted to P28.6 million, “which are not related to training-cum-production activities and contrary to the purpose of the SSP fund as provided under EO No. 939,” COA examiners said, referring to the executive order that created the program.In the Metro Manila office alone, charges or disbursements under the SSP fund “soared so high which resulted [in] negative operating results or surplus deficit” in 2023,” government auditors pointed out.
More than 50,000 entrepreneurship starter tool kits in 2023 that were left undistributed to scholars of one of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority’s (Tesda) programs could lead to wastage that would cost the government at least P152 million, state auditors said.
Armed men killed a 27-year-old Tausug man and his relative, a former barangay chairman, in an ambush in Indanan town in Sulu on Saturday.In separate reports yesterday, officials of the Sulu provincial police office and Brig. Gen. Romeo Juan Macapaz, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region police director, said Fadjiri Abdirajan Biao and his 61-year-old elder, Faizal Ibrahim Biao, died on the spot from gunshot wounds.The older Biao served as chairman of Barangay Kandaga in Talipao town in Sulu.According to the Indanan municipal police station, the Biaos were on a motorcycle when they were attacked by armed men in a sport utility vehicle along a secluded stretch of the highway in Barangay Kajatian.
A former barangay chairman and his brother have been assassinated.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2024/12/22/ombudsman-affirms-dismissal-of-bfar-director-escoto |
The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) has upheld its decision that ordered the dismissal of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) National Director Demosthenes R. Escoto.
In an eight-page joint order, the OMB denied Escoto’s motion to reconsider its Feb. 5 orders that dismissed him from the service for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the service, and the filing of graft charges against him and his co-accused.
“The assailed Resolution and Decision both dated 5 February 2024 stand,” declared the OMB.
However, the OMB modified its earlier ruling as it declared that Escoto is now perpetually disqualified for re-employment in the government service.
It reiterated that Escoto's dismissal carries with it the cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification to hold public office.
The case stemmed from the 2018 purchase of transmitters and transceivers for the BFAR's Integrated Marine Environment Monitoring System Project Phase II (PHILO Project) which was supposed to enhance the government's capability to safeguard and monitor the country's marine resources and to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing activities.
The project was awarded to SRT-France, a subsidiary company of SRT-United Kingdom (SRT-UK) incorporated in France.
However, the French government, which granted to the Philippines a loan of €28,520,000 for the project, declared that SRT-France was unqualified under the terms of its loan since SRT-France has no manufacturing or engineering facilities in France. It also has no record of activities in France, and its parent company is incorporated and domiciled in the UK.
“His (Escoto) actions, minute or substantial, were all instrumental in the success of the anomalous scheme that led to the award of the contract to SRT-UK,” declared the OMB.
The Office of the Ombudsman has upheld its decision that ordered the dismissal of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources National Director Demosthenes R. Escoto.
The Department of Education paid P1.064 billion for an unusable digital infrastructure project, with state auditors criticizing the department for continuing payments even after key components of the system remained undelivered, according to the Commission on Audit's 2023 report.
COA found that DepEd paid out the billion-peso sum — over 78% of the project's P1.356-billion total cost — to a contractor with a questionable financial capacity and a record of delayed projects. The department proceeded with payments despite receiving no working system that could streamline its payroll, inventory, and financial records as promised.
The project, called the DepEd Enterprise Resource Planning System (DERPS), was meant to automate and connect all the department's systems so that data would be available "at the click of a button."
Instead, state auditors said the project, under then-DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones, resulted in a "wastage of public funds" as none of the promised services were delivered despite the payments made.
The failed implementation has left DepEd still manually processing its payroll, procurement, and financial records — tasks DERPS was meant to automate. COA's findings also show DepEd incurred additional costs. These include P22.6 million in extra maintenance fees and P9.06 million worth of unused computer equipment gathering dust in one regional office.
According to the annual audit report, COA flagged nearly every facet of the procurement process for the DERPS project, the second phase of which was procured directly by the department in 2019. (No date was stated for the procurement of the first phase.)
State auditors questioned DepEd for awarding the P697-million contract for Phase II to a joint venture despite one party having only P92.5 million in net worth. The flagged contractor also had a documented history of delays in the majority of its ongoing projects.
Specifically, COA considered it irregular that "Contractor Party I" was able to bag the project with a net worth that is "substantially less than its share and interest in the project, with equivalent cost of P690 million."
"Its seemingly financial incapability, considering that the latter will utilize all its resources in the project, create doubts as to whether the contractor will be able to sustain all its deliverables as stated in the approved contract, and deliver the same on time," the audit report read.
State auditors found that, as of December 2019, "Contracting Party I" had at least six delayed projects with various government agencies, including DepEd and the Office of the Vice President. It also had five delayed projects with private companies. Other contracts' status were undetermined.
The status of these ongoing contracts should have been reviewed by DepEd, and "any deficiencies found therein should had been a ground for disqualification," COA said.
"The awarding of the P700 million project to the winning bidder creates doubts as to the competency of the DepEd officials/personnel involved in the procurement process which is apparent in the lackluster review of the relevant documents submitted by the winning bidder," COA said.
State auditors added that DepEd's failure to spot the financial incapability and the capacity of the contractor to deliver the project's milestones on time had placed "the government at a disadvantage."
As a response to state auditors' observations, DepEd explained that the contractors for DERPS had satisfied the financial capacity requirement of the government's procurement laws. "Contracting Party I" had submitted a line of credit to prove its financial capacity, according to DepEd.
However, state auditors believe this was insufficient. "We maintain our stance that the Department should have conducted a thorough validation considering the indicative financial incapability of the winning bidder / minimal net worth," COA said.
"It is stressed that the management has the duty to diligently review the financial capacity of the bidder to sustain the project’s implementation in order not to put public funds at risk for possible wastage," state auditors said.
State auditors found that DepEd split the procurement into phases when it could have been integrated into a single process. The department also proceeded with implementing later phases despite knowing Phase I — handled by the Department of Budget and Management's (DBM) procurement service — was incomplete.
Based on interviews with DepEd, COA said the first phase of the project concerned the procurement of the module or software system. The second phase dealt with the installation and configuration of the subject modules created in the first phase, along with the delivery of the hardware components.
"The implementation of DERPS is dependent upon the successful completion of each phase of the procurement project. Simply put, the initial phase (DERPS Phase I) has to be completed first before Phase 2 can be started/implemented," COA explained.
State auditors found it problematic that DepEd gave DBM's procurement service the responsibility of implementing the first phase of the project even as it had no technical expertise to do so. Based on government laws on procurement, DBM's procurement service is responsible only for procuring commonly used supplies, materials and equipment.
In the end, DepEd decided to "partially terminate the remaining undelivered milestones" of the first phase of DERPS. This is because the undelivered milestones had already piled up to at least 10% of the liquidated damages threshold — a sufficient ground for the termination of the contract.
However, according to state auditors, despite major delays in implementation, DepEd did not proceed with collecting the liquidated damages, according to the COA report.
DepEd had also paid the entire Phase I contract price of P358.93 million upfront, contrary to the agreed payment terms, the COA report added.
"The transfer of funds at the start of the project is not in consonance with the terms stipulated in the covering contract that [the procurement service] shall bill the Department for the actual goods received on a quarterly basis and in accordance with the billing statement issued by the contractor or consultant," state auditors said.
State auditors also found that even if the first phase was never completed, DepEd continued paying the contractors for the completion of other advanced project milestones that could not have proceeded without the first phase.
For instance, state auditors found that DepEd paid the contractors for two milestones related to "Change Management" and "Delivery of HRIS" — tagged as milestones 5 and 6 — even as the software in the first phase was not delivered. This also means milestone 4 (deployment of DERPS I module) was skipped altogether.
State auditors also found instances where Certificates of Completion and Acceptance were issued despite non-delivery of project milestones. These were issued by the office of former DepEd Undersecretary for Administration Alain Pascua, who occupied the post from 2016 to 2023.
Pascua was one of several DepEd officials suspended over the procurement of overpriced laptops for teachers.
"The foregoing conditions create doubt as to the regularity of the transactions and may be considered as gross neglect of duties for failure to give proper attention to such important details and is characterized by lack of care in safeguarding the public funds," the audit report stated.
COA recommended that DepEd investigate those involved in the project's implementation for possible gross neglect of duties that led to the improper disposition of public funds.
The failed project has left tangible evidence of waste. In DepEd's regional office in Eastern Visayas (Region 8), computer equipment worth P9.06 million received from the central office in 2021 remains unused to this day. This is because the actual software for the DERPS was never completed.
In addition, COA flagged DepEd for proceeding to pay P290 million to the joint venture for a related project called the "Core Network and Managed Co-Location Facilities" even as DERPS remained unfinished. This co-location project was meant to "provide connectivity" in relation to DERPS.
As a result, the department incurred P22.6 million in additional costs for maintaining co-location services after the contract expired in October 2023.
DepEd explained that it conducted the second phase "almost simultaneously" with the first phase, which was why it proceeded with payments for Phase II and the co-location facilities even as Phase I was incomplete.
The explanation did not satisfy the state auditors, who said that DepEd had skipped a key milestone and rendered payments anyway.
As a result, the "inefficient and ineffective contract implementation of the DERPS Interrelated projects is tantamount to the wastage of government funds," according to COA.
The Department of Education paid P1.064 billion for an unusable digital infrastructure project, with state auditors criticizing the department for continuing payments even after key components of the system remained undelivered, according to the Commission on Audit's 2023 report.
The Office of the Ombudsman ordered the preventive suspension of two Batangas municipality officials over allegations of grave misconduct.
Lobo Municipality Accountant Ethel Magnaye and Treasurer Leandro Canuel were suspended “without pay but not exceeding six months” pending their investigation over the purchase of a P5-million heavy equipment.
On Dec. 16, a barangay chairman filed a complaint against the two and Lobo Mayor Lota Manalo, accusing them of misappropriating the P5 million for purchasing heavy equipment when the public money was intended for a solar-powered water system.
Manalo was excluded from the suspension order as she was already previously ordered dismissed from service for violation of the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, Grave Misconduct, and Gross Neglect of Duty.
“After a careful evaluation of the complaint and its supporting documents, this Office finds sufficient basis to place respondents under preventive suspension pending investigation of the case,” the Ombudsman order states.
“The acts leveled against respondents constitute grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service,” it also says.
The Ombudsman order further explains that “[i]n case of delay in the disposition of the case due to the fault, negligence or any cause attributable to the respondents, the period of such delay shall not be counted in computing the period of the preventive suspension.”
The Office of the Ombudsman ordered the preventive suspension of two Batangas municipality officials over allegations of grave misconduct.
Around P1.272 billion worth of transactions of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) with German firm Dermalog Identification System GMBH could be the subject of a notice of disallowance (ND) from the Commission on Audit (COA) if the transport agency fails to address the deficiencies unearthed.
The COA issued the warning in a notice of suspension (NS) addressed to LTO Chief, Assistant Secretary Vigor D. Mendoza II, dated last Nov. 29.
The audit body said the transactions amounting to P1,272,440.22.34 cover payments to Dermalog for the Road Transportation Information Technology (IT) Infrastructure Project – Component A, also known as the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS), from 2019 to 2022.
It said it had to suspend the audit due “to various deficiencies involving non-compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations; non-conformance with the contract requirements; and incomplete submission and/or presentation of all the relevant supporting documents/evidences.’
“Please settle the above audit suspension through compliance with the requirements indicated which we will evaluate and refer to COA-ITAO for further review/evaluation,” the COA instructed the LTO.
It warned that "items suspended in audit which are not settled within ninety (90) days from receipt hereof shall become a disallowance….”
It identified Dermalog and 70 LTO officers as responsible for complying with the requirements.
The COA defines disallowance as "the disapproval in audit of a transaction, either in whole or in part”.
It said it already sent to the LTO a Feb. 6 audit observation memorandum (AOM) that contains “the observations noted by the COA-Information Technology Audit Office (ITAO) on their technical evaluation of the contract and inspection which are contained in 13 Technical Evaluation and Inspection Reports (TEIRs) dated March 13, 2023 to September 13, 2023.”
“The observations cited in the 13 TEIRs which were communicated to the Management through the aforesaid AOM pertain to various deficiencies involving non-compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations; non-conformance with the contract requirements; and incomplete submission and/or presentation of all the relevant supporting documents/evidences,” it also said.
“The Audit Team has yet to receive the complete compliance and/or justifications from the Management on these noted observations/issues on the aforesaid AOM. On May 21, 2024 and Nov. 26, 2024, the Audit Team issued two (2) follow-up letters to the LTO but still no response has been given by the Management as of this date, hence, the issuance of this Notice of Suspension (NS),” it recounted.
Around P1.272 billion worth of transactions of the Land Transportation Office with German firm Dermalog Identification System GMBH could be the subject of a notice of disallowance from the Commission on Audit if the transport agency fails to address the deficiencies unearthed.
The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) for paying P4.4 million to 15 consultants without the required documentary requirements, “casting doubt as to the necessity, regularity, and propriety of the transactions.”
State auditors noted in their 2023 annual audit report for the MTRCB that the 15 consultants had been hired for the following areas:
- gender and development planning and social media (P268,766.52)
- communication planning (P340,953.12)
- graphic art production (P340,953.12)
- photojournalism (P312,217.49)
- speech writer (P545,524.98)
- legal researcher (P545,524.98)
- artist relations (P312,195.49)
- photography, (P168,539.32)
- resource speaker for MTRCB’s ISO Quality Management System Awareness (P148,314.65)
- media relations (P284,773.34)
- critical stakeholder management (P681,907.62)
- electrical system and distribution preventive maintenance (P103,448.28)
- property (P143,678.15)
- technical consultant for the development of “Responsableng Panonood” module (P68,965.52), and
- MTRCB Reputation Management, (P197,318.03).
Upon audit of the MTRCB’s submitted disbursement vouchers and all supporting documents, the COA found out the hired consultants did not submit all required documents as prescribed under COA rules for consultancy services.
“The nonsubmission of the curriculum vitae deprived the audit team in determining the propriety of hiring the consultants, whether or not these consultants possessed the minimum qualifications for the consultancy engagement, e.g. highly specialized or technical expertise to perform the output/services which cannot be provided by the regular staff of the MTRCB,” the COA explained in its report.
As for the procurement documents, failure to submit these cast doubts on whether the procurement processes under the Government Procurement Act were “faithfully observed” by the MTRCB in hiring the consultants, auditors said.
Of the 15 consultants, state auditors highlighted the hiring of the MTRCB critical stakeholder management consultant, who turned out to be a private lawyer.
Auditors pointed out that there was no “prior concurrence” from the COA itself and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), “considering that the consultant is a lawyer, and her task involves the practice of law.”
“Public funds shall not be utilized for the payment of the services of a private legal counsel or law firm to represent government agencies in court or to render legal services for them,” the COA said, citing a provision from the 1987 Constitution.There should have been written conformity and acquiescence of the solicitor general and written concurrence of the COA before any government agency hires or employs the services of private lawyers.
The MTRCB paid the lawyer a monthly fee of P56,180 from January to June 2023 and P57,471.27 from July to December of that same year.
“However, the MTRCB failed to secure the written approval and acquiescence of the solicitor general and COA’s written concurrence since the monthly fee exceeded P50,000 prior to the engagement of MTRCB’s Critical Stakeholder Management Consultant” that is “contrary” to the requirements under the Constitution and COA rules, said the state auditors.
“These circumstances cast doubt unto the necessity, regularity and propriety of the engagement of the consultants and their payment thereof,” they noted.
The COA told the MTRCB, which agreed with the recommendations, to submit its justifications on the necessity of hiring the consultants for their respective services.
Among the recommendations were for all hired consultants to issue official receipts for all the payments made to them; the MTRCB’s Human Resources Unit should require all consultants to submit their updated curriculum vitae; and for the consultants to specify in their respective accomplishment reports the services they performed.
The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) for paying P4.4 million to 15 consultants without the required documentary requirements, “casting doubt as to the necessity, regularity, and propriety of the transactions.”
Two female employees of the Quezon City government were wounded when the handgun of a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) officer went off yesterday.
The victims aged 27 and 42 work as office aide and administrative staff, respectively, at city hall.
They are recuperating at the East Avenue Medical Center (EAMC).
The incident occurred at the Quezon City hall building in Barangay Central at 9:01 a.m.
Police investigators said Jail Officer 1 Joen Adarayan, 26, and other BJMP personnel were about to surrender their firearms to security guards at the city hall’s lobby when his gun, which he took out from his bag, went off.
The bullet ricocheted on the ground, hitting the victims, police said.
One of the victims was hit in her lower leg. The other was hit in her left ankle.
Members of the city disaster risk reduction and management office gave first aid to the victims before they were brought to the EAMC.
Adarayan surrendered to police and turned over his firearm, a 9mm loaded with seven bullets.
Probers recovered five bullet fragments at the scene.
Police said they are preparing criminal cases against Adarayan.
Two female employees of the Quezon City government were wounded when the handgun of a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology officer went off.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2024/12/23/2-barangay-tanods-in-abra-wounded-in-shootout |
Two barangay tanods (watchmen) were injured in a shootout in the barangay hall of Poblacion, Pilar, Abra on Sunday night, Dec. 22.Police identified the victims as Romel Reyes and Denver Cayetano.Investigation said Reyes and Cayetano were drinking in the barangay hall when a heated argument erupted allegedly over a woman they were courting.Cayetano drew a gun and shot Reyes who was also reportedly armed and returned fire. A colleague, Alvin Apolonio, 38, who sitting on a chair, was hit by a stray bullet.Cayetano and Reyes sustained bullet wounds in the stomach and taken to the hospital where they are recuperating.Apolonio was also taken to the hospital and was discharged after treatment.Police recovered empty .45 caliber shells in the crime scene but no gun was recovered.Pilar Mayor Tyron R. Beronia said Reyes and Cayetano are under investigation to determine any administrative liability.Beronia said the incident is not related to politics and was a result of a reported love triangle.He said that initial investigation showed that witnesses only saw Cayetano with a gun.Police are conducting follow-up investigation.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2017246/teacher-slain-in-cotabato-gun-attack |
An Islamic teacher who also served as treasurer of one of the villages in the Bangsamoro’s Special Geographic Area (SGA) was shot dead by a still unidentified gunman on Wednesday, Dec. 19, in Pikit, Cotabato, police said.
Major Arvin John Cambang, Pikit municipal police chief, said Yasser Mama Abdullah, a part-time teacher who just passed the Licensure Exams for Teachers and who taught at the Noorul Eilm Academy Foundation Inc. was standing in front of the school’s annex building in Barangay Inug-og when two men riding in tandem on motorbikes arrived around 3:30 p.m. and opened fire.
“He was about to board his motorcycle heading for home when attacked by one of the two gunmen,” Cambang said.
“His relatives said he had no known enemies as he was a religious leader,” Cambang told the Inquirer in a phone interview.
Abdullah sustained gunshot wounds in the head and was rushed to the Cruzado Medical Hospital but he died along the way.
Police found empty shells for 9mm pistol at the crime scene.
Aside from being an ustadz (teacher), Abdullah also served as the treasurer of Barangay Macabual, Tugunan town of the SGA of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
An Islamic teacher who also served as treasurer of one of the villages in the Bangsamoro’s Special Geographic Area was shot dead by a still unidentified gunman.
Police are tracking down the treasurer of Barangay 1 here who allegedly used barangay funds to pay for her online gambling debts.
Officer-on-case Police Master Sgt. Jomar Villaflor identified the suspect as Jessa Rosales.
Chairman Godofredo L. Martinez and councilor Angelina Saludares Rañeses, chairperson of the committee on budget and finance, filed a complaint before the police on Dec. 24 against Rosales.
Investigation said Martinez asked the suspect on Dec. 17 to encash a check to pay the honorarium, salary, and performance enhancement incentive of barangay officials.
However, the suspect said no budget was available for the month of December, prompting the complainants to verify the matter with the Landbank of the Philippines-Lucban branch.
Bank statements obtained by the two barangays officials showed that the suspect withdrew three checks with a total amount of P340,000 without their knowledge in November and December.
They claim that the suspect misused public funds for personal gain. Investigation also revealed that the suspect was addicted to online gaming.
The suspect faces a criminal complaint for violating Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code (malversation of public funds) before the Office of the City Prosecutor in Lucena City, Quezon.
A barangay treasurer has been accused of using funds to pay her gambling debts.
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/12/26/2409881/government-agencies-sucs-flagged-over-p242-billion-delayed-defective-projects |
The Commission on Audit (COA) has called out 15 national government agencies (NGAs) and 34 state universities and colleges (SUCs) over delayed, unimplemented and defective infrastructure projects for 2023 totaling P242.19 billion.
In its “2023 Annual Financial Report for the National Government” released last Dec. 2, the COA said that as of Dec. 31, 2023, various infrastructure projects by NGAs with an aggregate cost of P239.82 billion and by SUCs with aggregate cost of P2.37 billion were either “not executed in accordance with the plan,” “with noted deficiencies,” “unutilized or not fully utilized,” “not completed on time” or “not completed at all.”
The COA said these existing conditions “may result in waste of government funds or delayed enjoyment of project benefits.”?The audit body said the delays were mainly due to the NGAs and SUCs’ “poor planning, inadequate detailed engineering, inefficiency in monitoring and supervision of project implementation, non-observance of the provisions of contracts/ agreements, delayed or long procurement process, and lack of coordination with LGUs (local government units) and other agencies concerned.”
The Department of Public Works and Highways was identified as responsible for the bulk of the delayed, unimplemented and defective projects, consisting of 3,047 locally funded projects with an aggregate cost of P131.569 billion.
The COA said this was on top of 17 foreign-assisted projects with an aggregate cost of P84.411 billion, which were also delayed or uncompleted, as evidenced by the negative slippages (the difference between target accomplishment and actual accomplishment) ranging from 0.78 percent to 36.60 percent and increased project costs.
Furthermore, the COA said 828 infrastructure projects undertaken by DPWH were not executed in accordance with the plans and agreed terms of the contract, “thereby resulting in various technical defects equivalent to a total amount of at least P343,524,212.86.”
Meanwhile, “prolonged project timeline” and delays in completion were also observed in locally funded and foreign-assisted infrastructure projects implemented by the Department of Transportation Office of the Secretary (DOTr-OSEC) with an aggregate contract cost of P8.714 billion.
Among the delayed DOTr-OSEC projects identified in the audit report were the MRT3 Capacity Expansion Projects; MRT3 – Structural Retrofitting and Monitoring Project for the Retaining Walls between Buendia Station and Ayala Station, which was identified as “high priority” and DOTr-MRT3 Design, Supply and Installation of the Ventilation System at the MRT3 Depot.
Also with delays in implementation were the Unified Grand Central Station (Area A); EDSA Greenways Project and Cauayan Airport Development Project (repair of runway pavement and drainage system).
The Land Transportation Office, an attached agency of the DOTr, meanwhile, was called out for the long-overdue implementation of the Land Transportation Management System with a project cost of P8.227 billion.
Also called out was the Department of Health over its delayed, unimplemented and unutilized projects with an aggregate cost of P2.831 billion under its Health Facilities Enhancement Program and the Philippine National Police over terminated and suspended projects totaling P1.22 billion.
Other NGAs called out for the delays and other deficiencies in implementation of their respective infrastructure projects were the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (P1.166 billion); Office of the Ombudsman (P498.59 million); Department of Social Welfare and Development (P352.62 million); Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (P200 million); Philippine Sports Commission (P170.63 million); National Economic and Development Authority (P168.58 million); Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (P100 million); National Meat Inspection Service (P50 million); Philippine Carabao Center (P46.46 million); Department of the Interior and Local Government (P23.97 million) and Office of the Civil Defense (P12.79 million).
The Commission on Audit has called out 15 national government agencies and 34 state universities and colleges over delayed, unimplemented and defective infrastructure projects for 2023 totaling P242.19 billion.
Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II has demanded an explanation from the head of an LTO district office in the National Capital Region (NCR) regarding the fraudulent registration of a truck that was involved in a road accident in Parañaque City earlier this month.
In a statement on Wednesday, Mendoza said the explanation he was seeking from the LTO-NCR district office head, whom he did not identify, was part of the “thorough” investigation he had ordered into the Dec. 6 accident on the Skyway At-Grade Southbound in Barangay Sun Valley that killed one person and left five others injured.
The vehicle involved was an Isuzu wing van with plate number JA06375, whose driver claimed the brakes malfunctioned. The truck hit another vehicle, which led to a series of collisions involving several other vehicles.
“We want to have a clear explanation from the LTO officer involved, under the concept of command responsibility, as to why the truck was able to register without the necessary roadworthiness inspection,” Mendoza said in his letter to the district office head.
He gave the LTO official five days upon receipt of the letter to explain why no administrative action should be taken for violating the 2017 Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service.
“Failure on your part to submit the required explanation within a specified period shall be construed as a waiver on your part to controvert the issues raised against you and the case shall be decided on the basis of evidence at hand,” Mendoza’s letter read.
Immediately after the Dec. 6 accident, the LTO suspended the license of the driver for 90 days pending an investigation and also ordered him and the truck’s registered owner to explain why they should not be held liable for the incident.
Land Transportation Officer chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II has demanded an explanation from the head of an LTO district office in the National Capital Region regarding the fraudulent registration of a truck that was involved in a road accident in Parañaque City earlier this month.
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/12/26/2409936/depeds-classroom-construction-remote-areas-delayed-555-days-coa |
More than a year and a half after their promised completion date, 76 school facilities in the country's most isolated communities remain unfinished as the Department of Education Central Office struggles to complete P1.4 billion worth of Last Mile School projects, according to state auditors.
In its audit report, the Commission on Audit said only 22 out of 98 school facilities under the Last Mile Schools Program (LMSP) procured by DepEd's main office were completed in 2023, even though the projects were awarded in 2021 and had received mobilization fees of P211.2 million.
The program, which aims to transform makeshift classrooms into standard ones in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, was supposed to be completed within 150 calendar days from the start of construction, but not later than May 31, 2022.
Three contractors handling four lots have already gone past the deadline by over 500 days, according to the report.
"Verification pertaining to the status of implementation of construction of classrooms centrally-procured by CO revealed that majority of the projects are still not completed in the current year," state auditors said.
One contractor handling projects worth P327.8 million had become unreachable at the time of the audit. "It was also disclosed during the interview that projects under Lot 4 with a total contract cost of P327,867,809.66, were on-hold. The Department is said to have been facing difficulties in contacting/getting updates from the said contractor," the audit report read.
DepEd attributed the delays to various factors, including COVID-19 restrictions during the pre-construction phase and unforeseen circumstances like flooding, landslides, and community opposition during construction.
However, COA noted that these issues "affect only a fraction of the total projects" and blamed the delays on the department's "inaction in taking remedial measures in a timely manner."
"The delays of 555 days as of December 31, 2023, is of paramount concern, as the learners from far-flung communities were denied access to quality education and did not benefit from the project's target that no learner is left behind," COA said.
The audit body recommended that DepEd submit a catch-up plan with definite timelines for completing the remaining projects and improve its planning for future undertakings.
More than a year and a half after their promised completion date, 76 school facilities in the country's most isolated communities remain unfinished as the Department of Education Central Office struggles to complete P1.4 billion worth of Last Mile School projects, according to state auditors.
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