COA slams Lanao Sur’s P1.5-M bottled water deal

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Audit (COA) has questioned the Lanao del Sur provincial government’s purchase of P1.5 million worth of bottled water last year using funds allotted for its disaster risk reduction and management program.

In a 2014 report released over the weekend, state auditors described the purchase of bottled water as unnecessary.   

The province’s budget for disaster risk reduction last year amounted to P72.645 million, 30 percent of which was allocated as quick response fund and 70 percent as mitigations fund.

The law states that one of the purposes of the provincial government’s disaster risk reduction and management fund was for relief and recovery programs in areas hit by disasters, epidemic or emergencies.

“The nature of the transaction and items procured for stock was neither considered as mitigation nor (part of a) calamity preparedness program, for which the transaction was disallowed in audit,” the COA said.

It said a notice of disallowance had been issued, ordering officials to return the money to public coffers.