The Commission on Audit (COA) has directed the Philippine Atmospheric , Geophysical and Astronomical Services (PAGASA) to explain why they should not be held accountable for authorizing the payment of retirement benefits of 86 officials and employees who have pending liabilities to the agency.
In the recently-released 22020 PAGASA Annual Audit Report (AAR), COA also disclosed that some P43.25 million worth of technical and scientific equipment donated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have not been recorded, thereby “affecting the fairness of the presentation of the financial position” of the agency.
State auditors said the PAGASA management should enforce the collection of receivables from retired personnel who have pending liabilities caused by the disallowance of benefits granted them.
COA said the employees should have been asked to return Longevity Pay and Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) benefits they received but were later disallowed in audit.
State auditors said Longevity Pay granted in 2015 and CNA benefits from 2003-2004, 2009 and 2011 amounting to P18,237,176.85 and P37,286,000.91 have been disallowed and deemed questionable.
“Verification revealed that the Agency officials have issued and approved the covering clearances from Money and Property Accountability and paid in full the terminal leave benefits of these employees totalling P31,639,152.80,” COA lamented.
The state audit agency slammed PAGASA officials, saying that the practice of paying retirement benefits without ensuring payment of financial liabilities is not consistent to COA rules.
COA also asked PAGASA to ensure the proper documentation of donations of Rain and Water level Gauges it received from JICA.
“As mentioned in the prior years’ observation, the donation of Rain and Water Level Gauges was unrecorded due to incomplete documents and/or non-submission of the Deed of Donations from JICA,” auditors said.
As a result of the non-recording of donations, the Technical and Scientific Equipment account has not been “accurately stated” thus, affecting the fairness of the presentation fo the agency’s financial position.