COA tells province to settle cash advances

CEBU, Philippines - The Provincial Government will be sending follow-up demand letters to Capitol officials and employees who still have unliquidated cash advances for the year 2012.

This was promised by Acting Governor Agnes Magpale to the Commission on Audit who raised the concern on the P11.5 million of unliquidated cash advances for the year 2012.

Magpale, together with department heads of the Provincial Capitol, discussed the concern with COA last Monday in their exit conference for their annual audit report.

Based on the commission's audit observation, "cash advances granted to employees totaling to P11,486,324.67 remained outstanding as of Nov. 30, 2012 due to retirements and the failure of the Provincial Government to require the submission of liquidations."

This has lessened though from the reported unliquidated amount of P43.95 million earlier this year after some of the employees and officials who were on the list said that they were in the process of liquidating their respective cash advances.

Government officials and employees are allowed cash advances for official trips or programs of the government given that it would be liquidated with the support of official receipts.

Suspended Governor Gwendolyn Garcia was among those who had availed of a cash advance amounting to P404,928, based on the report early this year.

In her reply to COA, Magpale said that she did not know about the cash advances, considering that these were transactions made under the administration of Garcia.

Magpale took over in Dec. 19, 2012 after Garcia was slapped with a six-month suspension for grave abuse of authority.

But Magpale said that this was already endorsed to the office of the Provincial Accountant "for immediate collection and/or withholding of salary" and Provincial Attorney Marino Martinquilla has already been tasked to send demand letters to the said employees or officials.

Following the recommendations of COA, Magpale said that if the said officials and employees will not heed the second demand letter, they will furnish the Office of the Ombudsman a copy which may be followed by an administrative case.

Also, Magpale said that the clearances of the said employees who have pending cash advances and will be retiring or resigning will not be released until the amount they acquired have been liquidated.

The COA also advised the provincial accountant to monitor the accomplishments of personnel in charge of the handling of cash advance transactions and recording "to come up with reconciled balances in order to reflect a realistic value of the account in the financial statement." –(FREEMAN)