DA to dispute irregularities on COA report

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MANILA – There is no corruption in the Department of Agriculture (DA), and the agency will respond to the Commission on Audit (COA) report of suspected accounting errors in a cohesive response.

The DA stated that it has been gathering reports from offices and operating units since July in order to prepare the 2020 Audit Report.

“We received the COA report on July 2, 2021. Therefore, we still have until September 2, 2021 to satisfy the COA’s observations through our categorical replies as per Department of Agriculture Undersecretary for Administration and Finance Roldan Gorgonio,” Secretary William Dar said in a statement on Thursday.

“We assure our clientele — farmers, fishers, livestock raisers, and agri-fishery industry stakeholders — and partners from the private sector, local government units, and international funding institutions, and the general public that we, at the OneDA Family, do not and will not tolerate corruption, as we try to comply with all government accounting and auditing procedures and requirements, and continuously pursue aboveboard our planned programs and initiatives to increase the productivity and incomes of farmers and fisherfolk, and attain a food-secure and resilient Philippines,” Dar said.

According to COA’s assessment on DA’s operations and financial highlights in 2020, PHP34.45 billion in funds lacked “complete accounting records” and had “accounting errors/omissions”.

“A qualified opinion was rendered on the [DA’s] financial statements due to various accounting errors/omissions amounting to PHP2,087.408 million, which exceeded the materiality level of PHP360.581 million, and accounting deficiencies such as the absence of subsidiary ledgers and lack of complete accounting records on 379 accounts with an aggregate amount of PHP32,362.002 million which prevented alternative audit procedures to be undertaken to obtain sufficient and appropriate evidence relating to various assertions on the accounts,” the report said.

The COA also noticed the PHP4.5 billion in unobligated funds from the agency’s PHP60.80 billion allocation.

Only PHP56.2 billion, or 92.51 percent of the allotment, were utilized, according to the commission.

However, the report said that the procurement process caused the delays and the cancellation of programs intended to meet the emergency situation induced by the Covid-19 outbreak.

House committees to hold hearings during break

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Spread the loveMANILA – The House of Representatives has authorized for its committees to conduct hearings during the five-week congressional break, extending until late April.

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