BFAR amasses P1.353 billion unliquidated fund transfers to other agencies

MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has accumulated unliquidated fund transfers to other government agencies amounting to P1.353 billion, according to a the 2022 annual report of the Commission on Audit (COA).

The state auditors found that the BFAR released P1.002 billion to various local government units, P208.42 million to government-owned and controlled corporations, and P142.077 million to national government agencies.

BFAR Central Office disbursed the highest sum of unliquidated transfers at P412.13 million.

These transfers remained unliquidated by year-end 2022, said COA, “due to inadequate monitoring and enforcement of the submission of liquidation reports, and delayed projects implementation.”

Other offices with unliquidated fund transfers were BFAR offices in the following regions: Calabarzon with P101.51 million, Zamboanga Peninsula P52.76 million, Mimaropa P47.67 million, Western Visayas P36.25 million, BFAR Soccsksargen P33.59 million, and Central Visayas P33.17 million.

The BFAR assured COA that it would regularly follow up agencies, especially those with long outstanding balances.

BFAR also said it would be stricter in implementing the provisions on submission of disbursement reports and deadlines of liquidations in memoranda of agreement would be observed. – Rappler.com