Audit team probes 'losses' of Chocolate Hills Complex

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — A Special Audit Team (SAT) was created by the Bohol Provincial Board to look into the financial operations of the Chocolate Hills Complex that has been reported to be incurring significant losses the past years and especially this year.

The issue on the “doubtful” financial status of the Complex cropped up after PB Member Godofreda Tirol. Tourism committee chair, delivered a privilege speech two weeks ago, calling for an investigation on the suspicious income trend at the prime tourist spot of Bohol even if tourist arrivals have increased.

Tirol’s concern was referred to the PB committee of the whole, chaired by Vice Governor Concepcion Lim, who in turn called for a meeting with key officials to shed light on the Complex’s operation.

The committee, in last Friday’s session, reported with a recommendation for the creation of the SAT, consisting of representatives of the Provincial Internal Audit Office, as the lead office, Provincial Treasurer’s Office, Provincial Accountant’s Office, Provincial Legal Office, Provincial General Services Office and Bohol Tourism Office.

The SAT will verify the provincial government revenue streams from the collections of the operations of the Chocolate Hills Complex. This is “part of our efforts to develop and improve sound public financial management and to maximize transparency on the financial operations of the (Complex),” said the committee.

The committee believed that the provincial government should know the real financial status on the operations of the Complex, as provided for in the agreement between the Carmen LGU and the provincial government, both of which shares in the profits from the establishment.

The detailed statements of operation for the Complex in most months allegedly showed that questionable wages and food supplies had been charged to income from toll fees, and in some months, a single electric bill was charged twice to the income from restaurant and lodging.

Records show that, from January to July this year, there were only two months that the Complex operations registered profit, while the rest of the months incurred losses of up to P150,000 in the operation of the restaurant and lodging facility.

Net monthly income this year only reached P531,930 in January, then P2,181,896 in February, P2,136,274 in March, P3,552,360 in April, P3,798,449 in May, and suddenly dropped to P1,662,582 in June, then P1,573,205 in July.

After the auditing that will determine what really happened, the PB committee then will call the representatives of the management of the Chocolate Hills Complex and the municipal officials who could shed light on the issue.

Carmen town Mayor Conchita Toribio-delos Reyes, however, dismissed the issue as political harassment because she is running against Gov. Edgar Chatto for governor in 2013. (FREEMAN)