Carlo: Council has nothing to do with delay in release of funds for athletes

CEBU, Philippines - Re-electionist Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna yesterday said the Mandaue City council has nothing to do with the delay in the release of funds for athletes who joined the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) meet last February.

Fortuna’s clarification came after parents of athletes complained that their children have not received their CVIRAA allowances and their incentives from the city until now.

Sports coordinator of the Mandaue City Schools Division Adeline Luarez said Mayor Jonas Cortes has nothing to do with the delay either.

The mayor serves as the chairman of the local school board which is co-chaired by City Schools Division Superintendent Virginia Zapanta.

Fortuna said it is not necessary to ask for an authority from the city council for the release of such fund as it could immediately be taken out from the Special Education fund.

“Gipugngan kuno sa council ang allowance nga intended for the athletes. Gibulsa kuno sa maong opisyal,” Fortuna said, quoting some parents.

It was learned that the athletes were supposed to receive P80 as allowance per day for their 15 days of training while they were to receive an additional P500 during the event. The city was also to give a cash incentives or awards to winners.

A gold medalist was to receive P1,500 as cash incentive, P 1,000 for the silver medalist, and P500 for the bronze medalist.

But Adeline Luarez of the Mandaue City School Division said the delay was caused by the closing of the books of account in the CY2009 and the opening of the books of accounts for 2010.

The city Budget Office has obligated the release of such amount on February 2, 2010, which was forwarded it to the city accounting office for processing.

City Accountant Nenita Regencia said her office has required education officials to submit a legal basis in the form of authority or a resolution from the school board.

She said this requirement has to be imposed because in an audit observation memo issued by COA their attention was called on the lack of legal basis in the granting of similar allowances to athletes in previous claims.

Regencia also said the processing of the allowance was affected by the closing of the books of accounts for calendar year 2009 and the opening of books for calendar year 2010.

However, city officials have promised to hasten the processing of the allowances and incentives. (FREEMAN NEWS)