Rules sought for returning unused funds from DAP

THE PHILIPPINES’ audit agency must formulate rules on how government bodies should return unused funds from the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), a stimulus spending scheme parts of which were later rendered unconstitutional. Senate finance committee Chairman Francis "Chiz” G. Escudero made these remarks on Tuesday, directing Commission on Audit (CoA) officials to establish standard procedure after discovering that no single ruling indicated how unused funds from the DAP are to be returned. A program of the Aquino administration, the DAP intended to spur economic growth by quicker spending. Three provisions of the DAP have previously been deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Director Rufina S. Laquindanum, Corporate Governance Sector (CGS) 3 of the CoA said that currently, there is an "instruction to all auditing leaders to issue auditing observations” and that some of those observations include the need to remit unutilized funds. Ms. Laquindanum added that there is an "ongoing consolidation of audit findings” on DAP and its utilization. Ms. Laquindanum also made clarifications on an online report that served as the basis for Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s resolution to conduct the Senate inquiry, saying that "data were not accurately picked up.” The report stated that a total of P2.405 billion were unused by the National Electrification Administration (NEA), Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), National Dairy Authority (NDA) and the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA). According to Ms. Laquindanum, P2.405 billion refers to the funds received by the four government-owned and -controlled corporations. "We are not describing it as unused,” said Ms. Laquindanum. Administrator Sonia B. San Diego, Corporate Resources of the NEA, said that they are targeting to liquidate the remaining P639 million from their agency by the "end of 2015.” Director Joseph B. Anacay, CGS Cluster 6 of the CoA said that of the P296-million DAP funds that PIDS released to the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) and which was subsequently released to state universities and colleges, P260.54 million remain unliquidated. The funds were channeled into research, development and extension programs. Director Napoleon K. Juanillo, CHEd Office of Planning, Research and Knowledge Management, said that the programs encompassed food production, marine biodiversity and conservation, climate change, disaster preparedness, health systems and education. Loralie C. Datahan, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Assistant General Manager of the PFDA said that as of January 2015, they have returned all unutilized funds amounting to P189.858 million. --