COA questions education projects
The Commission on Audit is questioning the non-implementation of education projects amounting to P335 million charged against Cebu City's Special Education Fund from 2007 to 2017.
These projects involve school buildings, Information and Communication Technology equipment, water supply systems, construction of retaining wall, sports equipment, various equipment, and vehicles, among others.
“We recommend that the LSB (Local School Board) identify the projects funded under continuing appropriations, re-assess its responsiveness to the existing needs of the public schools and monitor its implementation so as not to deprive the constituents of the City of the priority education projects,” reads a portion of COA's Audit Observation Memorandum dated February 14.
The 10-year period, 2007-2017, was split under the administration of former mayor Michael Rama and incumbent Mayor Tomas Osmeña.
Osmeña was mayor in 2007, 2008, 2009, few months in 2010, a few months in 2016, and 2017 while Rama was mayor for a few months in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and a few months in 2016.
Councilor Joy Augustus Young, deputy mayor for education, said there are several reasons why the city has unexpended budget for education projects in previous years, among which is failed bidding.
“Pag 2017, nagpabidding mi og P2 billion, pero pag December pa lang, wala ma-successful kay naay problema sa bidding. Naay failure sa bidding. Walay supplier kay walay PhilGeps ,” he told The FREEMAN.
Awards cannot be posted in PhilGeps (Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System) if there is a failure in bidding.
Young said there was also a time when the city did not release the budget for the construction of a school building because the national government did not give the city the budget for the project.
Young said the matter goes back to the finance department of which COA is a part, adding, that COA should make representations to make the rules and laws easy for suppliers to participate in public bidding.
The AOM was signed by State Auditor V Maria Daisy Bercede and State Auditor IV Lita Lamparas.
“The LSB (Local School Board) could have easily monitor implementation of these projects if these were not presented in the budget in generic terms,” reads a portion of the report.
COA asked the city to re-assess these projects and ensure that these will be implemented so as not to deprive the city's constituents of the priority education projects.
Since 2007, COA noted that the city's SEF account had appropriation of P335.5 million and P10.1 million of it was obligated while P126 million was unobligated.