COA: P189.63M for drug rehab facilities still unliquidated

MANILA, Philippines – Not a single centavo of the P189.63 million ($4 million) allocated for the construction of drug rehabilitation facilities nationwide has been liquidated, according to the Commission on Audit (COA). 

In a report released in October 2016, COA said the funds transferred by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) to several agencies – national government agencies (NGAs), local government units (LGUs), and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) – remain unliquidated.

“Aging of [funds] due from NGAs/LGUs/NGOs/POs disclosed that fund transfers from various agencies remained outstanding from one month to 16 years,” COA said.

According to state auditors, the breakdown of the unliquidated funds showed the NGAs received P163.92 million ($3.3 million), LGUs had P25.5 million ($525,000), and NGOs with P210,670 ($4,339).

COA randomly selected 20 organizations that received a total of P104.74 million ($2.18 million) to trace the money and “ascertain the accuracy and validity” of the list of recipients submitted by the DDB. 

Only about P37.93 million ($781,332) were traced through confirmation letters from the agencies and organizations. 

Among those who acknowledged that they received funding from the DDB, totaling P6.6 million ($136,000), was Davao City.

Meanwhile, aside from Davao City, the following received money from the DDB totaling about P50.92 million ($1.04 million) from March 2 to May 2015:

• Department of Health Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (DOH-RTC) in Iloilo City – P19.454 million ($400,739)
• DOH-TRC Bicutan – P10 million ($205,993)
• DOH-TRC Argao in Cebu – P5.2 million ($107,116)
• Dagupan City – P5 million ($102,996)
• Tarlac – P2.8 million ($57,678)
• Cagayan de Oro City – P1.9 million ($39,138)
• Davao del Norte – P756,000 ($15,573)

COA urged the DDB to demand accountability from the 58 implementing agencies by asking them to submit reports on how they used the funds given to them. They are also requested to return the balance left, if any. – Rappler.com

$1 = P48