The Commission on Audit (COA) has discovered alleged irregularities in the hiring by Pampanga provincial officials of employees who lack qualifications and who perform work which are not relevant to their positions. In its annual audit report, COA said that some of those hired perform functions as personal security guards and caretakers of the officials who hired them. Citing its findings, COA said that an administrative assistant IV, who is paid by the government P22,000 a month, was assigned as head security at the residence of one department head. It also said an administrative aide VI with salary of P16,877 a month is serving as a security guard at the private residence of a department head, while an administrative aide III and administrative aide I, with salaries of P14,124.88 and P11,551 a month, respectively, are serving as caretakers of the farm of one provincial board member (PBM). "Interview further disclosed that the other caretaker/farmer had been with the family of the PBM for 27 years," it said. "Apparently, these employees were not performing any official function for the benefit of the government, but private tasks for the personal benefit of the hiring official, casting doubt on the necessity of their employment and the propriety of salaries paid," it also said. At the same time, COA said that 12 local legislative staff under the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and 13 executive assistants under different offices lack proper training and eligibility to hold their positions. All 25 of them have a Salary Grade 22, which means they are receiving a monthly salary of P66,800. For Salary Grade 22, the government requires a bachelor's degree in a relevant field and at least three years of experience in a similar post, COA said. However, not one of them held the required credentials, it lamented. "Based from the documents submitted, it showed that all of the 25 employees were not qualified for the positions based on minimum requirements," it said. Some of them had trainings on web design, while others served as cabin crews and health workers. However, the COA said these past experiences do not match their current employments since "the functions of the local legislative officers are very technical in nature which include preparations of committee reports, coordination, preparation and dissemination of information or communication, and conduct of research on matters related to the functions of the committee." Also, COA said it discovered the practice of nepotism as some PBMs appointed their family members as officials even though their qualifications do not meet the requirements of their positions. "We respect the elected officials’ right to choose their personal and trusted staff. However, nepotism favors relatives regardless of others or anyone who might be more qualified," the COA said. "With such practice, fairness in the hiring and promotion process in government is compromised. This may degrade the morale of incumbent civil servants and excludes other possibly more qualified individuals from being considered for employment,” it stressed.