The Office of the President has spent 548 percent more than it did in 2016, according to the Commission on Audit.
The state auditors said that the OP, in its maintenance and other operating expenses alone, spent P14.9 billion in 2017 compared to P2.3 billion in 2016.
CoA also flagged the OP’s increased in its expenditures due to the Philippines’ hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in 2017.
The OP footed the bill of P3.2 billion for professional services in 2017 against P40-million in 2016.
A big volume of the professional fee or P3.09 billion went to Asean consultants.
The state auditors called the attention of the OP for its P5.8-million unliquidated cash advances incurred during the Asean Summit.
The “Other MOOE” for 2017 also went up to P8.186 billion against P769 million in 2016.
CoA cited the biggest increases came from rent expenses of P1.6 billion from P35 million and representation expenses of P1.5 billion from P195 million.
It also took note of the OP’s other MOOE expenses sourced from the Presidential Social Fund that went to donations of P4.7 compared to P524 million in 2016.
The OP also was flagged for spending P177.176 million for the maintenance of the Presidential Airlift Wing’s helicopter fleet at 94 percent of the total P188 million spent for the repairs and maintenance of its transport equipment.
The OP was also questioned for the unused choppers’ spare parts and materials worth P51.5 million, and that these were not included in the Dec. 31, 2017 physical inventory.
The OP spent P2.5 billion in confidential and intelligence funds in 2017 than in 2016.
It only had P715 million in intel funds.
CoA also called the attention of the Office of the President for unliquidated cash advances for its officers and employees worth P6.426 million and unutilized cash advances due for refund amounting to P447,275.
In the 2017 annual audit report, CoA gave its observations that there were no demand letters issued by the OP’s chief accountant to compel accountable officers to refund their unliquidated balances.