'Tino’ assistance remained undistributed - COA: Unused aid flagged

CEBU, Philippines — The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged Cebu City over the delayed distribution of relief goods, poor documentation, and the non-utilization of millions of pesos in donations intended for victims of Typhoon Tino and other disasters, citing serious lapses in the city's disaster response and resource management.

In its latest annual audit report, COA detailed how relief assistance for Typhoon Tino victims remained undistributed for months after the disaster, while cash donations earmarked for calamity response sat unused despite the widespread devastation caused by the storm.

Typhoon Tino, internationally known as Kalmaegi, struck Cebu City on November 4, 2025, bringing torrential rains and severe flooding that displaced more than 87,000 families and left 158 people dead across Cebu Province.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported that the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CCDRRMO) confirmed nine deaths in Cebu City, with fatalities recorded in barangays Cogon Pardo, Sapangdaku, Talamban, Poblacion-Pardo, Guadalupe, Bacayan, and Kalunasan.

In Barangay Bacayan, the swollen Butuanon River swept away houses, leaving 28 residents missing.

Flash floods and landslides caused most of the fatalities, including a family of four buried in Sapangdaku and an infant who drowned in Cogon Pardo after her mother slipped while fleeing rising floodwaters. Massive flooding was also reported in Guadalupe.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) recorded 428 millimeters of rainfall within 24 hours, inundating homes, schools and roads and leaving thousands in need of emergency assistance.

Relief goods left in storage

Following the disaster, Cebu City received substantial in-kind and cash donations from private organizations, individuals and international partners, including USAID.

However, COA found that donated relief items—including canned goods, rice, bottled water, modular tents, hygiene kits and other essential supplies—remained undistributed as of December 31, 2025, nearly two months after the typhoon.

A warehouse inspection conducted on January 29, 2026, confirmed that significant quantities of relief goods were still in storage, contrary to COA Circular No. 2014-002, which requires the immediate distribution of donated goods, particularly perishable items.

COA said the delay deprived victims of timely assistance while exposing donated goods to possible wastage, loss or misappropriation.

The audit added that the non-distribution ran contrary to the intent of donors and undermined public confidence in the city's management of donated resources.

Millions in donations remained idle

COA likewise reported that P16.09 million in cash donations intended for victims of Typhoon Tino, Typhoon Odette, the Bogo earthquake and the Davao earthquake remained unutilized.

Of the total amount, P9.43 million was specifically intended for Typhoon Tino victims but had yet to be used.

The audit also showed that P2.27 million in donations for Typhoon Odette had remained idle for about three years. Donations amounting to P4.37 million for victims of the Bogo earthquake and P25,567 for the Davao earthquake also remained unused.

COA stressed that the non-utilization of the funds "defeated the purpose of the donation and the good intention of the donors," and recommended that the city either use the funds for recovery and rehabilitation or remit them to the Bureau of the Treasury if they could no longer be utilized as intended.

Beyond the delayed distribution and unused funds, COA also cited major deficiencies in documentation and record-keeping.

Under COA Circular No. 2014-002, government agencies are required to issue acknowledgment receipts for in-kind donations, use prescribed issuance forms during distribution, and prepare monthly reports on the receipt and utilization of donated goods.

The audit found that receipts and distribution records were maintained separately by different offices, making it difficult to determine the remaining inventory of donated items.

It also noted that issuance forms were not used, monthly reports were neither prepared nor submitted, and records consisted only of daily listings of donors, donated items and quantities.

These records were signed by the officer-in-charge of the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) instead of the General Services Officer, who is the designated property custodian. The donations were likewise not entered into the required registry of donated relief goods.

As a result, COA said the completeness and validity of the records could not be established, weakening transparency and accountability.

State auditors recommended that the City Mayor direct concerned offices to implement a clear and time-bound utilization plan for cash donations, assess whether idle funds could still be used for recovery and rehabilitation, and remit or return the money if utilization was no longer feasible.

For in-kind donations, the audit team urged the city to strictly comply with prescribed documentation procedures, consolidate records under a centralized monitoring system, submit monthly reports, and maintain updated inventory records through the registry of donated relief goods.

City response

In its response, the Department of General Services said the donated goods had been safely stored while awaiting requisitions and assured COA that inventory records had already been updated.

The DSWS also explained that some donated goods arrived after the initial relief distribution had already been completed, adding that the remaining supplies were being consolidated for distribution to severely affected beneficiaries.

The CCDRRMO, meanwhile, clarified that its primary responsibilities during disasters are evacuation and rescue operations but said it later coordinated with other city offices in the procurement of P9 million worth of rice.

The office also said the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council had approved the allocation of cash assistance for local government units in northern Cebu affected by the Bogo earthquake, based on verified rapid damage assessment and needs analysis reports.

COA said the findings point to systemic weaknesses in Cebu City's disaster response, noting that the failure to promptly mobilize relief goods and financial assistance compounded the hardship experienced by victims and weakened donor confidence. — (FREEMAN)