PHL Coconut Authority mishandled agri supplies, says COA

The Commission on Audit has called out the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) over its supposed mishandling of agricultural supplies, from incomplete delivery of seedlings to destroyed fertilizers intended for farmer-beneficiaries.

In its 2017 audit, the COA said PCA failed to fully implement the Accelerated Coconut Planting and Replanting Project-Indigenous People's Outreach Program due to a supplier's failure to deliver all 377,000 coconut seedlings to beneficiaries in Region 13.

The project was awarded for implementation on October 8, 2015 at a cost of P9.987 million and was supposed to be delivered to designated drop-off points until April 2016.

The COA said the supplier requested a time extension on the delivery of coconut seedlings up to June 30, 2017. It, however, said only 185,075 total seedlings were delivered to PCA despite the new deadline.

"As at audit date, no additional delivery was made. The delay in the delivery of the seedlings adversely affected the attainment of the objective of the program which is to increase coconut seedlings planted," it said.

In response, the PCA Region 13 office said it has already issued a notice to terminate against the supplier as a preliminary measure over its delayed delivery of seedlings.

In Region 9, the COA questioned the legitimacy of 755 farmers registered in the Participatory Coconut Planting Project (PCPP) who received cash incentives worth a total of P4 million for their planting of 100,000 coconut seedlings across 1,000 hectares of land.

The COA said the beneficiaries received the payment even if they had no proof of land ownership, while the PCA provincial agriculturist failed to conduct a verification process of seedling suitability in the subject lots.

"The absence of any proof of land ownership casts doubt whether the farmer-beneficiaries are legitimate, while in the absence of agronomic suitability assessment the expected rate of survival of the seedlings is not assured," the audit read.

The management of PCA Region 9 informed COA that it had started to require beneficiaries to submit proof of ownership, a consent form, or a Barangay Chairman's Certification as requirements before payment claims.

The PCA, however, said only few had complied due to various reasons. The CPA said these hindrances include the location of the land owners, some recipients partly owned the subject land, temporary ownership due to mortgage, and some were considered tenants since they have yet to secure supporting documents.

The COA further flagged the payment of cash incentives worth a total amount of P498,062 for PCPP beneficiaries in Regions 4A, 8 and in Bolinao, Pangasinan.

The COA said farmers in these areas either had fake signatures in the payroll sheets, had deficient planted land areas, or received payments despite the low mortality rate of the coconut trees.

Deficiencies in the P54,730 worth of distributed seedlings for the Coconut Seedlings Dispersal Project (CSDP) in Regions 1 to 4B was also raised due to excess payments or fictitious signatures of beneficiaries in acknowledgement receipts. One recipient in Region 1 was even reported to be a school instead of a farmer.

The PCA offices in these regions in have committed to conduct an investigation on the deficiencies in payments to dubious farmer-claimants, while management in Region 8 said it has formed a task force solely responsible in overseeing the implementation of the PCPP to minimize lapses.

Further, COA said P254,046 worth of distributed seedlings under the CSDP in the same regions had low mortality rates since no survey or assessment was conducted in the lands of beneficiaries.

The COA cited the wastage of 7,800 seedlings worth P209,664 in Macabebe, Pampanga due to its location in a swampy area and the death of 1,707 seedlings worth P44,382 in Sta. Maria, Ilocos due to lack of care.

The COA directed the PCA to ensure the immediate delivery of the undelivered seedlings, the eligibility of farmer-beneficiaries to receive cash incentives, and require Coconut Development Officers to explain deficiencies in the seedling distribution and cash payments.

Its rejoinder to the PCA offices' comments said its success lies not just in the agency, but also to the key players of its project to ensure its efficient implementation. — BM, GMA News