Commission on Audit | The Adobo Chronicles

Palawan, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Yesterday, The Adobo Chronicles reported that the Philippines’ Commission on Audit (COA) has raised some red flags during its audit of the government funds raised from the natural gas extraction project off the coast of Palawan province.

The private service contract provides for a production-sharing scheme in which the government gets 60 percent of earnings from the operation. Part of the government’s share — 900 Million pesos — was allotted for the rehabilitation of farms in 97 towns devastated by powerful storms. Instead, COA alleged that the amount was siphoned off and channeled to questionable non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

(See full story here.)

Well it turns out that even before COA began the audit, the operators of the project already had raised many red flags over the offshore rig (see photo) which led to the fund scam inquiry.

Sometimes, banners do the trick!

File photo: a message in chalk from typhoon Haiyan victims

Manila, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Some 1.58 Billion pesos in typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) relief funds remained unspent in the hands of several Philippine government agencies, according to a report by the country’s Commission on Audit.

The funds were part of donations given by governments and private individuals and groups to help victims of the worst typhoon ever to make landfall in the Philippines. Haiyan’s first year anniversary is coming up. To this day, many typhoon victims remain homeless, without jobs or still waiting for financial aid and support services.

In defending government agencies like the Departments of Social Welfare and Development, Health, Interior and Local Govenrments, Public Highways, and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the Office of the President said that at the time of the audit, the government was waiting to first spend the calamity funds under the General Appropriations before it touched the privately-donated relief funds.

In addition to the donated funds, an investigation is ongoing regarding millions of pesos worth of food and other relief goods that were spoiled and never reached the typhoon victims.

In ‘off-the-record’ conversations between presidential spokesman Herminio Coloma and Malacañang (presidential palace) reporters, he admitted that the heads of government agencies concerned innocently thought the donations were ‘reserve’ funds, not relief funds. “They were savng them for a rainy day,” he said. Or perhaps, the next typhoon.

Now we know.