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MANILA, Philippines - The head of the National Poverty Commission should explain and account for the P27.97 million he used to hire 81 contractual personnel and 19 consultants last year, militant group Pamalakaya said on Friday.

Pamalakaya national chairperson Fernando Hicap said NAPC chief Jose Eliseo Rocamora, a former president of Akbayan partylist, should account for money which his agency used last year to pay contractual workers and consultants.

"Mr. Rocamora should answer the inquiry of the Commission on Audit regarding the use of nearly P28 million in taxpayers’ money for the salaries of additional personnel and consultants, which the present work force of the commission can do without the need of additional personnel,"Hicap said.

Hicap added that the NAPC head should also divulge the names of the contractual and consultants hired by the agency.

"How many of them are Akbayan officials and personnel? How many of them are not from Akbayan?" he said.

Citing the same COA report, Hicap said NAPC was only allowed to maintain 50 personnel and staff based on its approved budget and had filled up only 24 positions.

The COA noted that NAPC hired 81 employees under Contract of Service, 19 consultants and 49 others to augment its personnel complement, incurring expenses for Other Professional Services totaling about P27.97 billion.

The hiring of non-plantilla people was NAPC’s single biggest expenditure item in 2011 the COA.

In its report, the COA also questioned the necessity of hiring part-timers that resulted in an additional expense of P893, 241, “which could have been avoided had the agency maximized the use of the employees." - Dennis Carcamo