The Commission on Audit (COA) has called out the Cebu Provincial Government for questionable foreign travel expenses totaling P6.8 million incurred during the year 2024. The state auditors identified several irregularities, including payments for a non-delegate and missing essential documentation.
Missing Documents and Procurement Violations
According to the audit report, provincial officials, executives, and employees undertook trips to Russia, Mongolia, Japan, and China between May and October 2024. The stated purpose was to strengthen sisterhood ties and participate in international tourism and economic forums.
However, COA auditors found that crucial documents needed to verify the legitimacy of the expenditures were not submitted. The missing records included:
- Travel itineraries and boarding passes
- Certificates of travel completion and proof of attendance
- Detailed breakdowns of registration fees
- Quotations from three different travel agencies
Auditors emphasized that without these documents, they could not determine if expenses like daily subsistence allowances for food and lodging were valid. Furthermore, the Capitol was cited for violating Republic Act 9184, the Government Procurement Reform Act, by directly paying travel agencies for full packages instead of using the standard system, which is typically limited to airline ticket purchases only.
Specific Irregularities Highlighted
The audit pinpointed two particularly notable issues. First, the provincial government reimbursed over P78,000 for excess baggage fees paid by an individual who was not even part of the official delegation. Second, the inclusion of a job order (JO) personnel in the official travel lacked any clear or justified explanation.
Recommendations and Provincial Response
In response to the findings, COA has recommended that the Cebu Provincial Capitol submit all the missing documents. They also demanded adequate explanations for the direct payments to travel agencies, the unauthorized baggage fee reimbursement, and the inclusion of the JO personnel in the travels.
The Provincial Government has announced that it has already complied, submitting the required documents and explanations to COA for their review. The outcome of this submission will determine if the flagged amounts will be settled or if further action is needed.
