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DILG’s P500-M Masa Masid program missed objectives, COA says


The Department of Interior and Local Government's community-based anti-corruption and anti-drug program missed its objectives as seen in the non-implementation of programmed activities and non-use of allocated funds, the Commission on Audit has said.

The DILG's Mamamayang Ayaw sa Anomalya, Mamayamang Ayaw sa Iligal na Droga or MASA MASID program was given a budget of more than P500 million for 2017 but the COA in its audit report said some of its programs were not implemented, causing the funds to be realigned.

Other activities under the program had no physical and financial accomplishment reports, state auditors added.

"Based on the foregoing, the non-implementation of programmed activities and non-utilization of program funds were indicative that management had not prepared a concrete plan for MASA MASID which resulted in the non-attainment of the program's objective," COA said.

The DILG launched the MASA MASID program in 2016 as a community-based program that addresses problems on corruption, illegal drugs, criminality, and threats to peace and order down to the barangay level.

Out of the more than P500 million, the DILG allotted P380.232 million to regional offices while the central office utilized P109.223 million for training expenses.

The COA, however, said eight MASA MASID activities worth P145 million were not implemented. This forced the DILG to realign the budget to anti-corruption and counter-extremism training.

Further, two activities amounting to P93 million had no physical and financial accomplishment reports while only 1,333 out of the total 3,679 MASA MASID activities for barangay officers worth P34.837 million was implemented.

"Based on the foregoing, the non-implementation of programmed activities and non-utilization of program funds were indicative that management had not prepared a concrete plan for MASA MASID which resulted in the non-attainment of the program's objective," COA said.

Fund transfers

The COA said the DILG also transferred P99.189 million to the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), Philippine Public Safety College (PPSC), and Local Government Academy (LGA) for the implementation of various aspects of MASA MASID.

The PCOO received P10.5 million for the MASA MASID communication action plan, the PPSC received P50 million for training on counter-violent extremism, while the LGA had P38.689 million for anti-corruption training.

Upon review of their memoranda of agreement, the COA said the memorandum of agreement with the LGA failed to specify the agency's role, the timeline of implementation, and the submission of progress reports.

The MOA with the PCOO and PPSC, meanwhile, showed no requirement on the submission of liquidation expenses and accomplishment reports. Both agencies also received their funding only during the fourth quarter of 2017.

The COA said the DILG may have transferred funds to these implementing agencies to prevent it from reverting the unutilized budget to the National Treasury.

"We are concerned that the transfer of funds to the aforementioned agencies in the fourth quarter and towards the end of the year was intended to avoid the reversion of the funds to the General Fund," it added.

DILG comment

In response to the audit, the DILG said the P10.545-million balance was for the budget of Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers and consultation activities that failed to push through.

The DILG said all 3,679 MASA MASID activities had been accomplished as of May 28, 2018.

The agency said the timing of the fund transfer to implementing agencies was "an act of merely extending the period of implementation beyond the period indicated in the MOA." —NB, GMA News

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