CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Audit questioned the granting of honorarium to 22 barangay chapter presidents of Talisay City Federation of Senior Citizens Association and Comelec election registrars calling it "illegal" disbursement of funds.
Cymbeline Celia Chiong-Uy, supervising auditor officer-in-charge assigned in Talisay City, said only the head of the Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs is entitled to receive and collect an honorarium from the city government.
Uy said "the head of the OSCA shall be entitled to receive an honorarium of an amount equivalent to at least salary grade 10 to be approved by the city government."
Upon verification from the state auditors, it was disclosed that from January to December 2013, the city government paid each senior citizen who was barangay chapter presidents of the federation a P1,000 monthly allowance or a total of P66,000 for the quarter.
The honoraria were later increased last April 2013 to varying rates, depending on their positions, the COA report read. For example, the president received an honorarium of P4,000 a month; vice president, P3,500; secretary and treasurer, P3,300; auditor and the two PROs, P2,500; four member of the Board of Trustees, P2,000; and 11 chapter presidents, P2,000.
The state auditors found that the funds from various projects to be undertaken by the senior citizens were realigned in order to fund the honorarium differential such as self and social enhancement activities; program review and evaluation workshop; Halad sa Gugma kay Lolo at Lola; Elderly Pilipino Week and Senior on Graceful Aging in the amount of P266,400.
COA emphasized that the rate for salary grade 10 for third class cities such as Talisay ranges from P15,530 to P16,650.
Chiong-Uy said a total of P530,400 had been paid to the Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs head, 11 chapter presidents and its officers from January to December 2013.
"The incurrence of such irregular expenditures is tantamount to wastage of government resources," the report read. Also, the COA reminded Talisay City not to pay election officers assigned at their localities.
It said election registrars are not among the national government officials mentioned in the Compensation Policy Guidelines No. 98-1 who are allowed to receive honoraria from the city or municipality where they are assigned.
In its 2013 audit report, COA observed that the city granted P4,000 per month or a total of P48,000 for a year to registrars.
The city gave the honoraria based on Section 447 (XI) of Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991, which states that "when the finances of the city, municipal government allow, provide for additional allowances and other benefits to judges, prosecutors, public elementary and high school teachers, and other national government officials stationed in or assigned to the municipality."
However, the state auditor cited Section 2.0 of the Compensation Policy Guidelines No. 98-1, which classifies other national government officials.
COA said these national government officials may collect additional compensation in the form of honoraria from the LGU where they are assigned as provided under section 5.0 of Local Budget Circular 62.
The COA already recommended before Mayor Johnny De los Reyes to direct the persons accountable to cause the refund of the amount of P500,400 paid in excess of the amount allowed or the officials who authorized the payment to be held liable personally for the amount paid.
De los Reyes, however, promised to stop the practice of giving honorarium to senior citizens officers and Comelec registrars. (FREEMAN)