THE Sorsogon City government earned rare commendations from the Commission on Audit over its efficient distribution of the government’s emergency cash subsidy to its residents affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic last year under the Special Amelioration Program (SAP).
Government auditors noted the local government took only 23 days to complete the distribution of P153.21 million SAP funds to 30,642 household beneficiaries.
Four days later, the city government was able to submit its Report of Disbursement to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to fully liquidate the amount received.
Records showed Sorsogon City received the P153.21 million cash assistance from the DSWD on April 7, 2020. By April 30, 2020, it declared the SAP distribution fully implemented.
“The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO)… spearheaded the implementation of the SAP. Its implementation is very crucial from assessment, validation, bar coding, encoding, distribution and uploading of individual forms to the website of the DSWD and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG),” the audit team noted.
Sorsogon City said the Treasurer’s Office and the Office of the City Accountant also worked with the CSWDO in speeding up the assessment of beneficiaries and in the liquidation.
“We commend Management for its remarkable efforts in the implementation of the SAP that exemplifies the City Government’s continuing commitment in improving its performance and ensuring a genuine service in social welfare,” the COA said.
For its actions, the city government was conferred the Vulcan Award by the DSWD as one of the Top Performing Local Government Units in the liquidation of SAP Funds.
However, the COA flagged the city procurement of P5.72 million worth of medical devices and supplies as part of its COVID-19 control response.
The audit team said none of the purchases were backed by Certificates of Medical Device Registration (CMDR) or Certificates of Medical Device Notification (CMDN), in violation of RA No. 9711 or the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009 which prohibits the importation, sale and distribution of products without proper authorization.
