Don’t make us give allowances back, teachers ask COA

Around 5,000 public school teachers in Cebu City are asking the Commission on Audit (COA) Central Visayas not to require them to refund allowances they received from the City Government in 2015.

Last year, COA issued a notice of disallowance to the City Government over the disbursement for the teachers’ cost of living allowance (Cola) (P78.9 million) and hardship allowance (P1.4 million) in 2015, which was charged to the Special Education Fund. The teachers were also ordered to return the amount they received three years ago.

COA said the disbursement was unauthorized because of the

laws prohibiting the grant of Cola and other allowances that are not specified.

Because of this, the City deducted the amount that the teachers need to refund on an installment basis starting last year.

Teachers who received the Cola and hardship allowance from the City in 2015 only got half of their financial assistance, or P5,000, during the distribution last December.

Most of them have to refund P18,000 for the Cola and hardship allowance they received.

But the teachers pointed out that the liability should be placed on the City Government since they had no participation in the decision to give the allowances.

Not their idea

In their memorandum of appeal dated May 28, the teachers said they “never induced, influenced or requested” the City to give them the Cola and hardship allowance in 2014 and 2015.

Sought for comment, Councilor Joy Augustus Young, deputy mayor for education, asked COA to give the affected teachers consideration since they received the allowances in “good faith.”

“We don’t question COA because we agree with the law. We’re just asking them to consider and not prolong the teachers’ agony. We’re not questioning the legality of their decision. However, we’re asking them to no longer disallow since there is already a Supreme Court decision on good faith,” he said.