COA hits DOST for failure to prioritize disaster response

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Audit has criticized the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) over its failure to prioritize projects that would improve the country’s capacity to adapt and respond to natural calamities, including those brought by climate change.

In its 2019 annual audit report on the DOST, the audit body noted that of a total of P9.986-billion approved projects for 2016 to 2019 under the agency’s Grants-in-Aid (GIA) Program, only 24 percent or P2.38 billion were related to Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation (DRRCCA).

The COA said this contravened the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for those years, in which the Congress specifically stated that “the DOST shall give priority to research on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and mitigation to ensure that policy development and planning at all levels [of the government] are based on science and contributing to building resilience.”

The state auditing body also pointed out that the Congress’ annual allocation for the DOST’s GIA Program always comes with a directive to give priority on research on DRRCCA, “considering that our country is one of the most disaster-prone areas of the world and further considering the recent calamities that struck the country.”

The COA’s breakdown showed that of a total of P2.196-billion GIA fund that the DOST received from Congress for 2016, only 60 percent or P1.315 billion was allocated for DRRCCA-related projects.

The DOST’s allocation for DRRCCA projects further dwindled in succeeding years, with only 24 percent or P588 million out of the P2.442-billion GIA fund that it received from Congress in 2017; nine percent or P231 million out of the P2.687 billion it received in 2018; and 10 percent or P255 million out of the P2.66 billion received in 2019.

“Inadequate allocation of projects concerning DRRCCA may hinder the country’s resilience to calamities and danger of losing the lives of many Filipinos,” the COA said.

Under the GIA Program, the DOST shall fund various research and undertakings aimed at improving the country’s scientific and technological capabilities.

In a reply incorporated in the audit report, the DOST explained that its attached agency, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), is now enhancing its research and development capabilities in relation to disaster response and climate change adaptation.

“The law provides that programs/projects on DRRCCA particularly those related to weather and climate change may be funded under (PAGASA) to ensure its continued implementation and sustainability,” the DOST explained.

It said its GIA Program “needs to venture in new science and technology areas” that would complement the DRRCCA initiatives, such as microsatellite research and improvement of meteorological and geological hazard advisories.

In its rejoinder, however, the audit team said PAGASA has a “specific separate funding on DRRCCA” provided by Congress.

The COA maintained that under the special provision of the GAAs for 2016 to 2019, the DOST shall be the primary agency to prioritize projects related to DRRCCA through its GIA Program.

“Considering that the said special provision was included in the DOST’s GAA instead of PAGASA’s, it is then understood that the former is the primary agency that should have prioritized research projects on DRRCCA by approving significant amount of programs/projects relating to such during (calendar years) 2016 to 2019,” the COA said.