To pay Deped non-teaching personnel COA stops Dumaguete's use of SEF

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — The Commission on Audit has prohibited a more than 10-year-old practice of using the special education fund to pay for the salaries and wages of non-teaching personnel of the Department of Education.

This was the basis of the COA issuance of disallowance in the payment of salaries to at least eight non-teaching personnel of the DepEd in this city, who are now in a quandary on what to do and where to go to process their money covering the last three months.

Records of the City Council showed that several amendments were made on an appropriation ordinance that allocates funds for the non-teaching personnel of DepEd, which were charged to the SEF.

COA's response, however, said the concerned personnel were not among those allowed under the rules and regulations on the utilization of the SEF, as provided for in the Joint Circular No. 1, series of 1998, of the government agencies.

Same appropriation ordinance was amended to charge the obligation against the general fund proper of the city's budget, instead of charging the same against the SEF.

COA however maintained that, since their items of employment were not included in the personnel schedule of the city government and that their appointments were issued by DepEd-Dumaguete division, their salaries could not be charged against neither the SEF nor the general fund.

Faced with this predicament, the City Council again approved another amendment to treat the P1.93 million appropriation as financial assistance for and or grant to the DepEd-Dumaguete division, specifically for the payment of salaries and benefits of the non-teaching personnel.

But the COA office, headed by Lourdes Algopera, hinted that the agency was bent on disallowing the same. This prompted the City Council to hold a special session to treat the issue, a resolution of which was approved to submit the appropriation ordinance to the Provincial Board for review.

Vice Mayor Woodrow Maquiling said the resolution cited pertinent provisions of the Local Government Code, particularly Section 272, allowing LGUs to disburse funds for the operation and maintenance of public school buildings.

The City Council now will have to wait for the results of the PB review, before taking further action on this matter, Maquiling added.  (FREEMAN)