The Office of the Vice President (OVP) spent P375 million in confidential funds in 2023, the Commission on Audit (COA) reported.
In its 2023 audit report on the OVP, the COA showed that the amount of confidential funds spent in 2023 is more than the P125 million spent in 2022.
“Confidential Expenses pertains to the expenses for the safe implementation of various projects and activities under the Good Governance Program/Socio-ecoomic Program delivery, and the conduct of official engagements, and functional representation in international and domestic events as instructed by the President,” the COA said.
It said the confidential expenses spent in 2023 had been listed among the Maintenance and Other Expenses (MOOE) which totaled P1,980,047,155.04.
The 2023 MOOE is also more than the OVP's 2022 MOOE which was P724,131,015.28, it also said.
On the other hand, the COA reported that the allocated funds for the OVP’s Socio-Economic Program Delivery Program were “appropriately and optimally utilized.”
Based on the Quarterly Physical Report of Operation of the OVP as of Dec. 31, 2023, the COA said “the agency’s accomplishments were higher than the targets per output indicators, which means that the agency was able to accomplish its PAPs (Programs, Activities and Projects) as intended.”
“The OVP had allotted the amount of P2,210,557,000 for the Socio-Economic Program Delivery Program Delivery of the agency for CY (calendar year) 2023,” the audit body noted.
Of the amount, the COA found that P1,888.944,797.55 or 85.45 percent got disbursed.
Despite this, the COA stated: “Various deficiencies in the distribution of welfare goods were observed due to gaps in the existing guidelines and procedures and control measures, which is not strictly in accordance with Sections 123 and 124 of Presidential Decree (PD) No. 1445.”
Thus, it said "the validity and occurrence of the distributions of welfare goods could not be ascertained.”
It recommended that the OVP “strengthen the agency’s distribution of welfare goods."
The OVP’s spending of confidential funds has been the subject of close scrutiny by the House of Representatives quad committee over allegations of anomalous spending.