The Commission on Audit has called the attention of the Defense department for not using the remaining P2.62 million for the troops affected by typhoon “Yolanda” and the magnitude-7.2 earthquake that hit Central Visayas in 2013.
In a 2018 annual audit report, state auditors cited P2.14 million in unused funds from the Office of the President for the 151 civilian and military personnel affected by the natural disasters.
The commission said of the Office of the President’s P4.435-million donation, some P2.295 million had gone to the intended beneficiaries.
Another donation of P4.435 million was also designed for release.
However, the second tranche was still with the Office of the President over the Defense department’s non-liquidation of the first tranche.
The commission said the supposed beneficiaries must be eligible to get P100,000 for totally or heavily damaged houses and P30,000 for partially damaged houses.
Only 76 of the 151 beneficiaries were able to avail themselves of the financial assistance three years after the disasters.
“[The Defense department] was informed that the other beneficiaries did not avail themselves of the benefits due to the distance of their residences from the department’s office,” the report said.
On the other hand, P480,388 of the P1.3-million donation from Vietnam for the victims of the quake in Central Visayas was returned to the Bureau of Treasury over the DND’s failure to use the funds.
Based on the report, the Defense department used P819,992 from the donation to procure eight generator sets, folding beds, and other tools in May 2014.