COA calls out youth commission’s ‘illegal’ use of SK funds for anti-communism campaign

MANILA, Philippines — State auditors flagged the National Youth Commission’s “illegal” use of funds meant for the mandatory and continuing training of Sangguniang Kabataan officers for the government’s controversial anti-communist campaign.

SK training fund

• In its annual audit report on the youth body, the Commission on Audit said the NYC was wrong to use the training funds for the anti-communist campaign as the SK law provides that “in no case shall said amount be used for any other purpose.”
   
• The COA specifically called out the the group's spending of P651,999.73 for the payment of salaries of three contractual workers assigned to perform tasks relating to the anti-communist campaign.
   
• “As there were no funds issued for implementing [anti-communist] activities, it would appear that the agency is defrauding the government by using funds for a different purpose other than that which intended,” state auditors said.
   
• They continued: “Therefore, the above salary payments … are considered irregular/illegal expenditures.”

NYC’s answer

• The NYC justified its spending for anti-communist activities by saying that orientations are included in SK trainings.
   
• “As a member agency to the ELCAC (End Local Communist Armed Conflict), it is NYC’s commitment to encourage the youth to be conscious of the deceptive recruitment of the communist front organizations which target participants are the SK,” it said.
   
• The COA, however, was not satisfied. In response to the NYC, state auditors said the contractual workers only performed facilitative or administrative tasks “which do not amount to provision of SK training.”
   
• “We maintain our stand that the [SK training fund] was not used for its intended purpose.”

What’s next?

• Kabataan party-list, among the groups often baselessly accused by the government of being communist fronts, demands that the NYC be held accountable for what the COA calls “illegal” spending.

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