The Commission on Audit (COA) has reminded local government units (LGUs) to utilize fully their Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (DRRMF) to fulfill the purpose for which the fund was created.
The reminder was issued by the COA in its 2023 annual audit report on the municipalty of Leon in Iloilo. It said that the town utilized only 35.19 percent of its total DRRMF for 2023.
The COA said that Leon town had a total of P10,315.788.65 for its DRRMF for 2023 but utilized only P3,630,559.42 for the year.
It said its auditors found that some of the Programs, Projects, and Activities (PPA) of the MDRRMF remained unimplemented as of Dec. 31, 2023. These included the Community Based Monitoring System with Disaster Risk Reduction and Management worth P650,000; Conduct of Vulnerability Analysis and Risk for Critical Facilities and Infrastructure worth P300,000; Training on Disaster Preparedness and Response worth P50,000; Development of Information and Data Base Generation worth P200,000; Procurement of Flood Early Warning System worth P300,000; Construction of Drainage/Flood Control/Footbridge Project worth P300,000; Vehicle Subsidization worth P50,000; Procurement of Fire Axe worth P25,000; and River/Creek Bank/Protection worth P300,000.
It also said the low utilization rate was due to lack of manpower since the MDRRMO is composed of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer (LDRRMO) IV, three plantilla employees who are not technical personnel, and a casual employee.
The COA said the LDRRMO is also the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO)-designate. It said the MDRRMO was also unable to hire additional personnel who are supposed to carry out their Community Based Monitoring System with Disaster Risk Reduction and Management as well as their Vulnerability Analysis and Risk Assessment.
Some programs were also not carried out due to the non-preparation of the necessary program of works since the MDRRMO has no technical capabilities to prepare it, the COA said.
It then recommended that the municipality should efficiently utilize its available resources so as to fulfill the intended purpose to which the fund was established.