More headaches! COA flags DBM-PS on undelivered P5.5-B computers, instructional materials to DepEd photo from GMA Network
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More headaches! COA flags DBM-PS on undelivered P5.5-B computers, instructional materials to DepEd

Sep 24, 2021, 3:25 AM
OpinYon News Team

OpinYon News Team

News Reporter

In its 2020 audit report on the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Audit flagged the DBM-PS’s failure to deliver P5.53 billion worth of computer hardware and software, textbooks and other learning materials during the past years.

EVEN as senators continue to investigate on the anomalous transactions between the Department of Budget and Management – Procurement Service (DBM-PS) and Pharmally, other reports have surfaced on the office’s failure to deliver purchased items to other government agencies.

In its 2020 audit report on the Department of Education (DepEd), the Commission on Audit flagged the DBM-PS’s failure to deliver P5.53 billion worth of computer hardware and software, textbooks and other learning materials during the past years.

P6.65 billion

As of yearend, the DepEd has P6.65 billion in “outstanding” fund transfers to PS-DBM, of which, 83 percent or P5.53 billion was meant for the procurement of computer hardware and software (P5.03 billion), and various instructional and learning materials and textbooks (P502.83 million).

The COA said the items were supposed to be distributed to public elementary and secondary schools nationwide under the DepEd Computerization Program (DCP) and other related projects.

“Transfer of funds without meticulously monitoring the liquidations and timely delivery of the procured items may adversely affect the efficient program delivery of the DepEd,” the commission noted in its audit report.

Undelivered supplies

“It also resulted in the accumulation of undelivered supplies and equipment. Moreover, the considerable delays in the deliveries deprived the School Division Offices (SDOs) of the use thereof at the time these were needed and left the funds idle for a long time in the hands of PS-DBM,” the COA added.

The reports were uploaded the COA website on August 14, before the Senate started its investigation as to why the DBM-PS favored Pharmally in thedelivery of ‘overpriced’ medical supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dormant

The COA faulted the DepEd Central Office (CO) for still transferring P1.44 billion to PS-DBM in 2020, even if the latter still had P5.21 billion in undelivered items or unliquidated funds pertaining to the amounts it received from prior years.

The COA said that as of end-2020, a total of P5.21 billion in fund transfers of DepEd to PS-DBM were already considered “dormant” or “past due” their liquidation deadlines.

“We recommended that the (DepEd) Management regularly reconcile records with the PS-DBM, monitor diligently the fund utilization and the timely delivery of procured items and immediately inform the PS-DBM about the existence of undelivered supplies to avoid the accumulation thereof,” the COA said.

The audit body said the DepEd must also limit its fund transfer to PS-DBM and “demand the refund of the unutilized/dormant funds, and remit the same to the Bureau of Treasury (BTr).”

Deferred

Meanwhile, The House of Representatives, which is currently deliberating on the proposed 2022 budget, has deferred consideration of the DBM’s proposed budget.

This, after Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate flagged the agency for its alleged “lack of transparency” with regards to government savings.

Zarate also flagged the use of some P10.33 billion in contingent funds for projects such as the development of a "batcave" in Davao del Sur, which he pointed out were not allowed to be paid for by contingent funds.

Tags: #CommissionOnAudit, #DepartmentofBudgetandManagement, #DBM-PS, #DepartmentOfEducation, #procurement, #anomalies


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