Tuguegarao flagged over COVID-19 response programs

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the city government of Tuguegarao in Cagayan in connection with the allegedly questionable quarantine hotel expenses of its frontliners and the supposed repair and maintenance of its four COVID facilities.

In an annual audit report posted on its website on March 25, the COA said the payment for the hotel accommodation of the frontline workers amounting to P3.19 million as of end of 2021 was unsupported.

State auditors said the city government should have attached a certified list of the quarantined workers.

“Although the statement of account prepared by the quarantine hotel detailed the number of days and period of accommodation as well as the names of the quarantined frontline workers, a certified list is an indispensable document to validate those names and the actual period of their accommodation,” the COA said.

It said the certified list was forwarded to the audit team only on March 9.

“This will be subjected to further review and examination to determine the validity and propriety of the transactions,” the audit body said.

The COA said a similar practice of the city government was flagged in a previous annual audit report, wherein the amount of P278,400 paid to the D128 Lodge in 2020 was also not supported with a certified list of individuals who used the hotel for quarantine purposes.

“We requested the immediate submission of the required names and statement of account to support the claims of the D128 Lodge in the amount of P278,400. Otherwise, these transactions will be suspended in the audit,” the COA warned.

In the same audit report, the COA questioned the city government’s supposed repair and maintenance of four COVID facilities amounting to P4.27 million, noting the projects were not supported with approved plans and drawings.

The COA said the audit team requested for the plans and drawings, but it has yet to receive the documents.