THE Commission on Audit has granted a petition filed by a supplier of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for payment of food deliveries made during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic amounting to about P12.7 million.

Claimant Philippine Nutri-Foods Crop (PNFC), represented by its sales and marketing manager Paul Hipolito, said it won the bidding on July 15, 2020 for the supply and delivery of Nutripacks to four provinces which were under “community quarantine.”

It said it delivered P9.76 million worth of Nutripacks to Romblon; P1.223 million to Oriental Mindoro; P873,915 to Puerto Galera; P761,040 to Marinduque; and P112,710 to Palawan.

In support of its claim, PNFC submitted copies of documents, including notice of post-qualification, notice of award, contract, performance bond, purchase order, notice to proceed, sales invoice, and collection receipts.

The DSWD RO 4B posed no objection to the claim but clarified that it acted only as recipient and facilitator of the supplementary program. Likewise, it pointed out that the claim was submitted late, hence the shortage of available cash to pay disbursement vouchers.

The COA en banc said there is no question the supplier is entitled to compensation after completing its end by making full deliveries at the appointed time.

“PMFC complied with its obligation to deliver the food items as shown in the sales invoice and delivery receipts. Thus, it is clearly established that PNFC is entitled to be paid … inasmuch as it would unjustly enrich the DSWD RO IV-B at PNFC’s expense if the obligation to pay is not settled,” the Commission said.

It pointed out that neither the validity of the contract nor the completion of delivery is being challenged.

“Notably, the only reason for its non-payment, of which PNFC has no control or participation, is that the claims were not considered in the request for cash allocation; thus, leaving the available cash insufficient to pay the approved disbursement vouchers,” the COA said.

The decision was signed by COA chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba and Commissioners Roland Café Pondoc and Mario G. Lipana.