COA hits book unit’s excessive spending

By Jonathan M. Hicap, Reporter

THE Commission on Audit has berated the National Book Development Board for “excessive” expenses on food, cell-phone cards and appliances in violation of the austerity measures imposed by President Arroyo on all government offices.
In its latest annual audit report covering 2005, the commission said the book board incurred “unnecessary expenses” that could have been avoided had the board “exercised prudence in the use of its funds.”
The commission cited the food expense, which totaled P370,923.36 in 2005, “representing cost of meals in management meetings.” It noted that meal costs for “board meetings reached as high as P603.26 per participant, which is excessive.
“This practice also violates COA Circular 85-55A, dated September 8, 1985, which provides for the regulations on the prevention of irregular, unnecessary, excessive or extravagant expenditures or uses of government funds and property,” the commission said.
The commission also noted that the board also used prepaid cell cards worth P407,388.96, which is 21 percent higher than the 2004 cell-card expenses of P335,667.00.
It also scored the book board for buying seven air conditioners totaling P134,365 and a TV set worth P32,990. These again, the commission said, were “unnecessary expenses,” since the “air conditioning is properly functioning and there is no need for another television set.”
“The total cost of this equipment amounted to P167,355, which the board could have saved and used for other more productive purposes,” the commission said.
It also said the book board incurred unliquidated cash advances worth P325,930.45.
It also took the board to task for “irrelevant training and seminars attended” by its officials amounting to P164,627.75.
The Times called the National Book Development Board office, but board Chairman Dennis Gonzalez was not in. A staff member in Gonzalez’s office took the cell-phone number of this reporter, saying he would give it to Mr. Gonzalez so he could return. Gonzalez had not returned The Times’ call at press time.