COA orders PLM professors: Refund P1.3-M honoraria

MANILA, Philippines - University professors of the Pamantasan  ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) must return to the government some P1.3 million in excess honoraria given to them last year, the Commission on Audit (COA) said in a 2015 report released yesterday.

The amount represents part of the funds paid for teaching overloads of regular faculty members and administrative personnel of the state-owned academic institution for undergraduate and graduate programs, according to the COA.

State auditors said an audit of payrolls for the payment of extra load pay of regular faculty members of the different colleges revealed that the rates used was based on a board resolution that was inconsistent with those provided under the Department of Budget and Management’s manual on position classification and compensation scheme for faculty positions in state universities and colleges.

Because of the erroneous computation, PLM incurred an overpayment of expenses for personal services totalling P1,309,188.64.

State auditors said PLM officials should “require the concerned faculty members to refund the overpaid honoraria in 2015.”  

The school management replied that it will comply with the audit recommendation.