COA flags Davao City for failure to achieve disaster plan for 2017

The Commission on Audit has questioned Davao City's failure to use more than half a billion pesos worth of disaster funds in 2017.

According to COA, the non-use of P553.65 million deprived Davao City residents' of "resiliency in man-made and natural calamities."

State auditors bared that the city government, led by presidential daughter and Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, only spent P171.98 million out of the P725.62 million Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Funds (LDRRMF) available.

The COA said this was verified upon checking of the city's Report on Utilization of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund as of December 31, 2017.

"The low accomplishment rate in the implementation of the disaster prevention and mitigation and disaster preparedness plans and programs of the LDRRMF is an indication of the non-attainment of the objective of the City's Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan for 2017 of enhancing the capacities of the city and its constituents to effectively understand, prepare, respond and recover from the impact of natural and man-made disasters," the annual audit report read.

The COA said the failure to fully implement its disaster risk reduction and management plans made the funds "idle, unutilized and unproductive" and prevented the timely delivery of socio-economic and environmental programs beneficial to Davao City residents.

The COA urged the city government to maximize the use of its LDRRMF and immediately implement the programs that can manage the risks brought by natural and man-made calamities.

It also recommended that the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office closely monitor the spending of the LDRRMF and ensure its abides by the disaster preparedness plans and programs of Davao City.

PAMANA funds

Davao City was also cited for a supposed "lack of vigilance" in the implementation of programs related to the Department of Agriculture's Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) Fund.

According to the memorandum of agreement between the city and DA Region 11, "PAMANA is the convergence framework through which national government, the local government units and development agencies provide targeted interventions in identified conflict-affected areas."

The COA said DA-XI transferred P5.44 million to Davao City intended for sustainable vegetable production system, white corn production, municipal fishery development project, agri-fishery processing, and capability building.

However, COA found that only P119,626.40, or only 22 percent of the total allotment was spent.

This was utilized for catering services, official supplies, janitorial supplies and kitchen utensils, among others.

While this utilization of the funds is not prohibited, COA said this was "not among the major components" stated in the PAMANA project.

The officer-in-charge of the City Agriculturist's Office had explained to COA that the low utilization of funds was caused by a delay from the DA, saying the funds were received beyond the 2014 to 2016 implementation period stated in the MOA.

The COA said the delay in funding should have served "as a significant reason for the City Agriculturist's Office to hasten the implementation of the project."

Incomplete biogas facility

COA also raised the incomplete biogas facility worth P1.5 million that was funded by the DA-XI under its Bottom-Up Budgeting in 2014.

The COA said DA formally transferred the fund for the "Biogas Digester Project" to city government on May 4, 2015 but construction of the facility has yet to start, casting doubts on the feasibility of the project. 

The audit team later found that the delay was caused by the lack of technical expertise. It said there was only one service provider competent to undetake project but had no supporting documents.

The project is due for rebidding, according to the City Planning and Development Office.

The COA, however, said it would be prudent for the city government to just return the funds to the national treasury if the project was no longer feasible upon re-evaluation. —NB, GMA News