COA to OVP: Explain unliquidated cash advances

The Commission on Audit (COA) has called out the Office of the Vice President (OVP) over the failure of its employees to liquidate their cash advances, including travel expenses, last year.

In its recent audit report, the COA said the OVP incurred a total of P27,399,686.73 for its local and foreign trips.

The COA said a review of the liquidation reports showed that 33 OVP employees failed to liquidate their cash advances within the prescribed period of 30 days upon their return in violation of the Government Auditing Manual.

“Delays in the liquidation revealed a range of from two days to a long 116 days,” the COA report read.

The COA said there were also cash advances totaling P465,767.17, which remained unliquidated.

Under COA rules, cash advances which are no longer needed or not used for two months must be returned to the collecting officers.

“Failure... to liquidate cash advances within the prescribed period shall constitute a valid cause for withholding... their salary,” the COA said.

Neglect on the part of the OVP management to demand the immediate refund of unused or excess cash advances and the submission of liquidation reports within the prescribed period renders inaccuracies in the financial statements, the COA added.

‘Fully liquidated’

The OVP said yesterday all the listed cash advances in the COA report have been ”fully liquidated.”

OVP Undersecretary Boyet Dy said the OVP instituted stricter measures to prevent similar delays, including clearer guidelines on the handling of cash advances and the withholding of compensation for accountable staff, subject to the full liquidation of advances, consistent with COA’s own recommendations.