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MANILA, Philippines – State auditors have singled out the Department of Tourism (DOT) for spending about P6.67 million on extravagant spending for gift checks given to individuals, official activities at a posh resort, hotel accommodations and bonuses.
The Commission of Audit (COA) tagged DOT headquarters and seven regional offices for spending P6,678,878.07 in taxpayer money in 2019 for activities that were “irregular, unnecessary, excessive, and outrageous.”
In response to the audit report, Secretary of Tourism Bernadette Romulo-Puyat took note of the COA’s findings and reminded all DOT offices to strictly comply with relevant accounting and auditing rules and regulations.
“It should be noted, however, that more than 50 percent of the expenditures in question were made prior to my term as DOT secretary,” Puyat said in a text message, adding that the P3.579 million outlay for checks gift was “before my time.”
He added: “As for the rest of the expenses in question, we have advised the interested offices to comply with the required documentation and provide the necessary justifications to substantiate their expenses and avoid rejection by the COA.”
Not yet settled
In its report, the COA said that the agency’s head office spent P3.579 million on gift checks that were “allegedly distributed to private tourism persons,” but there was no evidence that the gift checks were distributed and remained unused. liquidate in 2019.
DOT’s Visayas central office was also claimed to pay P1,203 million for the wages and salaries of work order employees from May to June 2019, but the disbursements were neither certified nor approved in violation of Presidential Decree No. 1445, or the Government. Audit code.
The Davao Regional Tourism Office was also asked to spend P349,900 to rent Island Buenavista, an exclusive resort in Samal’s Island Garden City, for a “Year-End Assessment and Strategic Planning” of 14 employees.
The report added that the meals served at the Pearl Farm for 10 people and the Lola Restaurant for 20 people in December 2019 were also included although the meals were not related to the activity, and that “tokens” were also given to the participants.
DOT’s Caraga regional office was also singled out for spending P334,413.34 for “unnecessary airline fees” from Manila speakers and lecturers, who conducted training activities from August 2018 to July 2019, which could have been conducted by staff qualified in the Caraga region.
Extravagance was also the problem auditors made for DOT’s Cordillera regional office, which spent P296,067.23 on “outrageous training expenses.”
The central tourism office and regional offices in the Cordilleras, Mimaropa and central Visayas were also singled out for “excessive” accommodation expenses during official trips, with a cost to taxpayers of 277,932.54 pesos.
In addition, the central office and the regional office in Zamboanga spent P215,749.12 on “unnecessary” training activities for work order employees who were hired for specific tasks specifically because of their alleged expertise.
Similarly, the COA rated the Western Visayas regional office for spending P108,273.30 for the unauthorized mid-year bond.
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