117 LGUs hold on to P580M in unconstitutional pork barrel funds

MANILA, Philippines – More than 100 provinces, cities, and municipalities are still holding on to a total of P580 million in Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of various lawmakers and the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) of the Office of the President, even after the Supreme Court declared these unconstitutional. 

A special report by the Commission on Audit (COA) showed that as of end-2015 – two years after the court rulings – 104 local government units failed to return to the Bureau of Treasury P562,638,291.63 of PDAF, while 13 LGUs are still holding on to P18,355,140.24 of DAP.

COA reminded governors and mayors of COA Memorandum 2013-008, which it issued December 6, 2013. It requires them to return all unused PDAF and DAP to the national treasury.

“Local Chief Executives should require immediate refund/return to the Bureau of Treasury of all unobligated and unutilized PDAF/DAP funds,” the COA said.

The 10 LGUs with the biggest unreturned PDAF are: 

• Rizal Province – P82.844 million
• Roxas City – P65.909 million
• City of Manila – P54.522 million  
• Antique Province – P51.678 million
• Baguio City – P30.89 million
• Surigao del Norte Province – P21.416 million
• Sta. Rosa City – P20.024 million
• Surigao del Sur Province – P18.452 million
• Municipaity of Daraga – P18.404 million
• Dapitan City – P15.554 million

The 5 provinces and towns with the biggest unused DAP are:

• Sarangani Pronvince – P5.773 million
• Iloilo Province – P4.494 million
• Municipality of Mayorga (Leyte) – P3 million
• Municipality of Oton (Iloilo) – P1.5 million
• Municipality of New Lucena (Iloilo) – P1.38 million   

– Rappler. com