COA questions fuel expenses of Ilocos Sur state-run college

MANILA, Philippines - The Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College in Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur has only eight vehicles but spent more than P1.65 million for fuel in 2013, and the Commission on Audit (COA) found this “highly irregular.”

In a report released yesterday, state auditors noted that the trip tickets of the state-run college’s drivers were not properly accomplished and lacked serial numbers and that monthly reports of official travels and fuel consumption were not being submitted.

Because the gasoline requisitions were not properly controlled or regulated by the school, COA said this casts doubt on the reasonableness and regularity of the fuel expenses.

“It was also noted that fuel consumed in some travels are excessive considering the distance of the place from the official station, and the inconsistency of reported fuel used during trips to the same place/s using the same vehicles,” the audit team said in the report.

“Furthermore, some drivers’ trip tickets showed that private vehicles were used during the trips in such case the issuance of gasoline was not proper,” it added.

For the entire 2013, records show that the state-run college spent P1,650,724.97 for gasoline, oil and lubricants that the auditors said was “questionably high considering that there are only eight vehicles being used.”

The state college’s management, according to COA, should adopt proper controls for fuel consumption like requiring drivers to immediately record the odometer reading at the end of their trips.

COA also urged that giving gasoline to private vehicles is stopped, and the required monthly reports on official travels and fuel consumption submitted to the audit team.