COA: 15 NEDA execs using more than one government--issued car

MANILA, Philippines - Fifteen officials of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) were found to be using more than one government-assigned vehicle.

The Commission on Audit (COA) said this is in violation of the rule that, except for the President, “no government official or employee authorized to use any vehicle operated and maintained under existing law shall be allowed to use more than one vehicle.”

In a report released yesterday, state auditors did not name the concerned NEDA officials but identified them as reporting to the agency’s central office in Pasig City.

The audit team said Acknowledgement Receipts of Equipment (ARE) for vehicles revealed that more than one service vehicle were assigned to 15 NEDA officials as of Dec. 31, 2014.

NEDA, for its part, clarified that the issuance of a vehicle for an officer is separate from that of his or her staff.

“In accordance with an existing NEDA office circular issued in 2001, the 15 NEDA officials were issued one vehicle each. But another vehicle assigned to the official, referred to as staff vehicle, is for the use of his/her personnel for official trips,” NEDA assistant director-general Kenneth Tanate said.

Tanate stressed all trips using government vehicles are documented in drivers’ trip tickets and travel orders.

“We are, however, revisiting the said circular to address the COA findings. We must note that the nature of NEDA’s work as a coordinating agency requires the frequent use of vehicles to attend meetings and events outside of the office. Therefore, there is a need to have enough transportation services for the NEDA officials and staff to efficiently perform their duties,” Tanate said.

Reiterating a previous year’s finding, the COA report also again called the attention of the agency on the assignment of a vehicle to a rank and file employee in 2013.

State auditors further reminded NEDA of its 34 vehicles that do not bear the mark “For Official Use Only” and the name of the agency in accordance with COA Circular Nos. 75-6 and 77-61.

The COA report said concerned officials who were assigned more than one vehicle should be instructed to adhere strictly to the rules and regulations and return the extra vehicles to the property custodian, motorpool or general services division of the agency.

State auditors said all NEDA vehicles should also be appropriately marked to identify them as government vehicles that can be used for official purposes only. – With Ted Torres