The local government units are up in arms against the pre-audit policy of the Commission on Audit (COA) concerning fund assistance and releases of various forms from funders, such as national government agencies or local government units. COA's pre-audit memorandum has been tagged to have delayed the processing of documents that runs counter to the principles of citizen's charter. The citizen's charter came in the government's effort to effectively implement the Anti-Red Tape Law.  But the pre-audit policy poses to encourage the red tape back. Recently, the pre-audit policy had been blamed on the funds problems hounding the upcoming 1st district athletic meet, as it has “frozen” certain allocations.

COA here has responded to the request for an audience with the LGUs due to mounting protests regarding the pre-audit policy. Most of the municipal officials cried foul over the COA policy, particularly on cash advances and fund assistance to the barangays. The provincial federated of the Liga ng mga Barangay, headed by its president, Concepcion Lim, has strongly lobbied for COA to relax the “pre-audit” scheme. Lim told COA that this comes at a time when the elections are fast approaching during the forum last week. Lim minced no words that the league is poised to pass a strongly-worded resolution urging COA to slow down on its policy in fund releases because this would adversely affect the welfare of the people.

She lamented that they (officials) are being criticized for the delayed of their fund aid that put them in bad light. Provincial Board members exactly described it (pre-audit) as “additional red-tape,” or what can be considered anti-thesis of citizen's charter, which promises the clients-public of accurate, fast and reliable services and response to their needs as expected of the government. Some local officials suspect that the LGUs has been used as scapegoat of the lapses of national government agencies. Most of the LGUs, particularly the barangays, are cash short due to the limited taxing powers granted by the Local Government Code and their shares from the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) from the national government are insufficient.

This nurtures the culture of mendicancy on the part of the barangays, according to an official. Provincial Auditor Pedro Paumig said COA is just trying to prevent unscrupulous fund users or beneficiaries from taking advantage of the fund release. He cited that in one of the barangays in Ubay, a certain official who received a financial assistance for a certain project used the funds to celebrate fiesta. Paumig explained that some of the fund assistance from the provincial government to the LGUs and its releases are without legal bases, thus, their disapproval. He also said that the intention of the project funded by the government must be specified and not vague and they must be supported by necessary documents, such as program of work of a feasibility study and all other papers must be properly signed by officials concerned. Paumig reminded the officials to be specific of their project and purpose because it is the experience of the COA that some projects seem to be promoting the organizations or certain groups that are the beneficiary of the fund assistance. They forget that the fund is for the general welfare of the people, he said.

Awkward position

But some barangays officials scored on COA's “ambiguous” policy on the expenditures for barangay uniforms.   Liga city federated president Faro Cabalit said that why COA disallows the elected barangay officials to allocate fund for their office uniforms while those uniforms for other barangay officials, such as barangay tanods and barangay health workers are tolerated. Paumig begged for understanding because it is the COA rules and regulations that they cannot do otherwise, not even his co-officers of the COA during the forum rescued him to answer. It also appeared that there is no clear cut criteria for fund assistance solicited for prizes of contests and sports activities in the barangays, COA admitted.

Remedy

As COA stands firm on its policy on the pre-audit, Pedro Paumig said during the forum that there may be a “give and take” remedy on the strict policy as long as a certain project must be supported by documents. Right now, the provincial government is devising a so-called Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the LGU-recipients and the provincial government, said the Provincial Accountant's Office represented by Joseth Celocia, provincial accountant. The MOU may be followed if the fund assistance to a certain project of the LGU is under the counter-parting scheme. COA is amenable that other financial assistance to the LGUs, such as a few thousand pesos for the sports uniform may no longer be needing the MOU. It is also agreeable to the proposal that a threshold as to the total project cost may be established, say P100,000 of project, may no longer be requiring the MOU. (RVO)