TABUK CITY, KALINGA – The provincial government’s 2017 annual audit report came in early this week, and Governor Jocel Baac sang mostly praises.
The local chief executive pointed out that the report of the Commission on Audit (COA) did not show any questionable cash disbursements or cash advances that may indicate misuse of public funds.
“We have no questionable cash disbursements to the hundreds of millions,” Baac told Capitol employees during regular flag raising ceremony on Monday. “Let’s give the accounting office a hand for not allowing it,” he said. “And by extension, you should give me a hand for not allowing it,” he quipped.
Baac also noted that state auditors did not raise any questions on the implementation of projects and programs.
What COA did find were some lapses on the part of the veterinary office, the lack of waste management plan of municipalities and state hospitals, and the weaknesses of the province when it comes to disaster resiliency.
In their report, state auditors found that P350,000 worth of Biological Assets – Breeding Stocks account are ‘unreliable’ because the Office of the Veterinary Services did not regularly prepare, submit, and reconcile with accounting records.
COA noted the failure of the provincial government to adopt a systematic, comprehensive, and ecological solid waste management program and recommended the development of a Provincial Solid Waste Management Plan.
COA also cited that hospitals under the jurisdiction of the provincial government are not compliant with the health care waste management manual of the Department of Health and recommended the formulation of a solid waste plan for each hospital, acquisition of dump trucks for health care wastes, among others.
Lastly, COA observed that the personnel complement of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management (PDRRM) Office was not in accordance with RA10121 and urged management to prioritize the establishment of the PDRRM Office and the creation of positions for three technical staffs.
Baac directed concerned offices to address these lapses within the timeframe prescribed by COA.
By Iryll Sicnao
