March 28, 2024

Reaction on COA report on COVID funds expenditure in MP

This is regarding your frontpage story titled, “COA lauds 2 MP towns for wise COVID fund spending” published on April 4.
I was shocked upon reading this. I am concerned for Sabangan because I am from there. Which office of the Commission on Audit lauded Sabangan? Is it the COA-Mountain Province, COA regional office, or COA central office?
The article states in part: “For Sabangan, the COA said the LGU has effectively disbursed its P5,626.877 grant by purchasing personal protective equipment, equipment, reagents, and kits for Covid-19 testing, medicines and vitamins; hospital equipment and supplies; constructing, repairing, or renting spaces to accommodate Covid-19 patients, and relief goods for affected households, among other things.”
There is something wrong here. The word “reagents” does not fit Sabangan which has no laboratory. And what vitamins did they distribute for the people of Sabangan?
And what hospital is the COA talking about? The COA must be hallucinating. Is dishonesty or incompetence one of the effects of this pandemic?
Referring to another local government unit, the article further states; “The COA added the LGU failed to prepare a list for the cash and in-kind donations it received from government entities and private sector and also failed to report how these were spent and distributed.”
This is not only hilarious but also a crime. Why did not the COA try to “peep” into the pockets of the LGU?
COA, please do your job religiously. Your personnel are being paid by people’s money to protect how the money is spent. Please be honest. — JUNIPER DOMINGUEZ, Baguio City