PLLO spent millions on overpaid consultants in 2017 —COA

The Commission on Audit (COA) has questioned the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) for spending P3.070 million for consultants whose functions overlapped with duties already being performed by regular employees of the agency.

In COA's 2017 audit report released on April 18, the PLLO spent a total of P4.095 million for consultancy services, but P3.070 million was spent on nine consultants who could "be dispensed with" as their duties overlapped with regular employees.

"For CY 2017, PLLO hired the services of nine consultants for a total of P3,070,645.16, however, the form used for their contracts was the Contract of Service instead of the Contract for Consulting Services," the report read.

A Contract for Consulting Services requires that the output or scope of work to be done by the consultant be explicitly defined.

"Verification of accomplishment reports supporting the claims for the period July 1-December 31, 2017 revealed that the tasks performed by these consultants overlap with the duties and responsibilities of regular personnel or can basically be provided by the contract of service personnel," the COA said.

The COA report indicated that the monthly salaries of the consultants ranged from P30,000 to P60,000, but their duties overlapped with those already performed by regular personnel of the agency.

"Considering also the number of personnel occupying the plantilla positions... hiring the services of the consultants can be dispensed with," the COA said.

"The duties and responsibilities of one consultant who mainly functioned as an Executive Assistant can be performed by a regular employee or contract of service personnel of the agency given the specific instructions," it added.

Some of the consultants were also found to have been paid twice the amount that the Office of the President — the PLLO's head agency — compensate its consultants.

Demoralization

Among the tasks given to the consultants were to perform as liaison and public relations officers, review speeches of the PLLO Secretary, manage databases, serve as executive assistants, and support the Federalism campaign, among others.

"The practice of hiring the services of consultants with these accomplishments may cause demoralization among the rank and file employees when it comes to the salaries they are receiving vis-a-vis the duties and responsibilities they are performing," it said.

The COA also questioned the hiring of such consultants, noting that they did not submit the required requirements such as their curriculum vitae and their progress reports.

"None of the nine hired consultants submitted their approved Consultancy Progress/Final Reports, and/or any output," it said.

"The curriculum vitae serve as basis to validate the technical expertise of the consultant to deliver the particular needs of the agency, which was the reason for hiring the consultant," it added.

The same report revealed that the manpower of the PLLO, excluding the consultants, exceeded the 38 authorized positions based on the Summary of Filled and Unfilled Plantilla Positions as of December 31, 2017.

The audit agency said the PLLO hired a total of 56 individuals for various positions — 36 under the regular plantilla, and 20 contractuals for additional manpower.

"Hence, the manpower of the PLLO, excluding the consultants, totaled 56, which is 47.37 percent more than the approved plantilla personnel," the report read.

The COA recommended that the PLLO stop such practices and be prudent in spending for its manpower needs:

"Stop the practice of hiring consultants for tasks which do not require expertise and that can be performed by the regular employees..."

"Benchmark the rate of consultants hired by similar agencies as to the size and budget of PLLO."

"Practice prudency in spending government funds and discontinue the practice of paying exorbitant salaries to consultants."

Created in 1987, the PLLO is mandated to promote the legislative initiatives and generate maximum support for the President and his legislative agenda in Congress.

It is also tasked to officially orchestrate the formulation of the Executive-Legislative Agenda and all other concerns of the Executive Department having to do with the Legislature. —ALG, GMA News