COA checks calamity aid to other provinces

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Audit asked the Cebu Provincial Board if it authorized Governor Gwendolyn Garcia to extend P29 million financial assistance to provinces stricken by calamities.

Vice Governor Agnes Magpale yesterday said that the COA asked Provincial Secretary Aniceta Pasaylo for the minutes of the PB session on the matter.

“I said tell ‘the truth, it’s not in the minutes because it was never discussed, it never passed us,’” Magpale said about what she told to Pasaylo.

Pasaylo refused to show copy of the COA letter to the media, saying only that she is still in the process of answering the request. But she promised to provide the media with a copy in due time.

After the release of the financial assistance, the PB passed an ordinance sponsored by Board Member Thadeo Ouano creating the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Under the ordinance, no calamity funds will be released without the concurrence of the PB.

The ordinance provides that five percent of the total annual budget of the local government is set aside for calamity.

 Governor’s side

“It’s always good to be very very circumspect before conducting press conferences and you try to study the matter, get all facts straight kay basin unya masupalpal ta ba,” Garcia said.

Garcia informed Magpale that they had exit conference with the COA officials last Monday and the issue on cash and goods assistance to other provinces was taken up.

Garcia confirmed that in the audit observation report, COA asked for approval of the SP in the disbursement of cash assistance.

During the conference, Garcia pointed out that the released fund was already part of the P87 million calamity fund mandated under the Local Government Code.

“When other places are declared state of calamity, mahimo to gamiton kanang the calamity fund aron pagtabang sa ubang probinsiya,” she said.

Garcia said the Supreme Court ruled that in the execution of the budget for the payment of goods and services based on an appropriation ordinance, no prior approval from SP (Sangguniang Panlalawigan) is needed.

The appropriation ordinance itself already has authority of the SP, said Garcia.

“For her information, the regional director of COA agreed, so mas maayo bitaw nga you do your homework first and be very very careful,” Garcia added.

The same issue was also being raised in the restoration of Balili property, which Magpale said has no authority from PB for the governor to enter into any contract.

The same contention was also used by Garcia since the budget being used was already contained in the appropriation under site development, which Magpale disagreed.

“Ang akong contention nga if there is a contract kinahanglan moagi gyud sa Board for ratification man lang, wala gyud,” Magpale said. —/LPM (FREEMAN)