The Commission on Audit (COA) disclosed that the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has 166 motor vehicles valued at over P219 million but are not registered, do not bear the required markings, and do not have government license plates.
In its 2022 audit report, COA said that the unregistered vehicles do not have the “For Official Use Only” and “Philippine Ports Authority” markings.
It said the lack of markings violates COA Circular No. 75-6 dated Nov. 7, 1975 and PPA Memorandum Circular No. 06-2004 dated Feb. 6, 2004.
Both circulars provide that all motor vehicles owned by the government, its agencies and instrumentalities should be marked with "For Official Use Only" and should have government plates.
The PPA failed to comply, it said. When the audit team conducted an ocular inspection of motor vehicles at the Head Office and the Port Management Offices (PMOs), it discovered the 166 vehicles that are not registered under the name of PPA, most of which are not properly marked with "For Official Use Only" and the name "Philippine Ports Authority," it added.
COA also said that state auditors found that 13 motor vehicles valued at P15.5 million were registered under the PPA. However, it said, these vehicles did not have proper markings of "For Official Use Only" and the name "Philippine Ports Authority" and do not bear government plates.
"Non-compliance with the marking requirements and use of government plates may result in the unauthorized use of the agency's motor vehicles as absence of marking and government plates do not identify the vehicles as owned by the government," the COA said.
"Also, there were instances when the vehicles were delayed and/or apprehended due to implementation of number coding scheme in the National Capital Region (NCR) which marked government vehicles are exempted [from]," it added.
The COA has urged the PPA to expedite the registration of all motor vehicles not registered under the name of the PPA at the Head Office and PMOs.
It also said that the PPA should comply with the required markings and use of government plates for all motor vehicles, except for those assigned to the general manager, assistant general managers, and assistant to the general manager which should have security plates.