Tacloban City’s P19M COVID-19 expenses flagged

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THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has questioned for non-compliance with procurement procedures Tacloban City government’s transportation and accommodation expenses in 2021 totaling P7.18 million and another P11.98 million worth of contracts relative to its COVID-19 response.

The 2021 audit report released yesterday cited records showing that transportation and hotel services amounting to P7,178,664 were rendered or availed of even before the approval of the purchase order.

Said expenditures were charged against the city’s five-percent Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF) and its 20 percent Development Fund.

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Through negotiated procurement-emergency cases, the city government rented vans and multi cabs to provide transportation for the Balik-Tacloban Program operations.

Likewise, hotel rooms were reserved as quarantine accommodations for COVID-19 patients, returning city residents from other areas, home-bound overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), local stranded individuals, health care workers, and other frontline personnel.The expense breakdown showed P3.48 million was paid from the LDRRMF and P3.7 million from the Development Fund.

“There were instances wherein the services were rendered before the procurement process took place, as indicated by the date of purchase request,” the COA pointed out.

“This indicated that the service providers were already pre-selected and identified before the procurement process was completed,” it added.

The city health officer explained that it was the preparation and issuance of purchase orders that came late as the suppliers and the local government reached an agreement and took action due to the urgency of the situation.

Aside from the deviation in the procurement process for transportation and quarantine spaces, the COA also noted that the Omnibus Sworn Statements (OSS) of suppliers were prepared much ahead of the P11,984,105 worth of contracts.

In several instances, the audit team noted that the OSS submitted predated the contract by seven days to 11 months.

“With the deficiencies noted in the OSS submitted, the city was not given an assurance that the supplier would abide with the submission of the required documents. In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that the BAC (Bids and Awards Committee) did not strictly comply with all the conditions for procurement under the Bayanihan Act,” the COA said.

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