COA to Talisay: Surveillance facilities an excessive expense

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Audit has ruled out that the installation of a P3.1-million city-wide surveillance system in Talisay City is an "excessive expenditure and does not serve its purpose."

The surveillance system covers the area from City Hall Command Center to Tabunok flyover.

In a 2013 audit report, Cymbeline Celia Chiong-Uy, supervising auditor officer-in-charge assigned in Talisay City, said the amount will be disallowed if the city fails to deduct the amount of P319,203.72 representing the excessive cost of the contract price, from the remaining claim of Automated Technologies Inc.

The city government entered a contract with ATI during the administration of then mayor and now City Councilor Socrates Fernandez.

The aim of the project was reportedly to improve the safety and security of the residents, visitors and business communities in assisting detection of crime.

As of November 2013, the implementation of the project was already 100 percent complete with the city already paying the contractor in the amount of P2,851,200, leaving a balance of P316,800.

But COA's technical evaluation report, rendered by their Technical and Information Technology Services, found out that the contract was P319,203.72 or 22.33 percent above the COA cost evaluation.

"It is considered excessive expenditure," the COA report read.

The COA also said the purchase of the surveillance system does not serve its purpose because the command center has no personnel manning the system.

"This project was 100 percent completed but the command center was not manned by personnel from the city thus defeating the purpose in the purchase," the report read.

It was also observed that the distance traveled from the point of Mananga Bridge to the point of Saint Joseph Parish was only around 300 meters and from Saint Joseph Parish to Tabunok where camera was installed was only 200 meters, which "defeats the purpose of having long-range radio antennas."

COA said the city could have saved P436,680 had the location of the radio antenna been strategically positioned to maximize the number of installed antenna, particularly the one installed at St. Joseph Parish.

For his part, Mayor Johnny De los Reyes promised that they will comply with the recommendation of the COA.  (FREEMAN)