CoA tags Tarlac town officials

The Commission on Audit (CoA) has flagged the officials of Ramos town in Tarlac for incurring over P1 million worth of mobile loads, which auditors said were “excessive.”

In its 2023 report, CoA found that the municipality had a mobile load expense of P1,144,063.70 that was not supported by proper documentation required by the auditing body.

CoA Circular No. 2023-004 prescribes documentary requirements for paying telephone or communication expenses, such as a statement of account/bill, invoice, official Receipt, or collection and acknowledgment receipts.

The audit showed that the municipality had allowed its mayor to reimburse P5,000 monthly load allowance, while P4,500 for the vice mayor. Sangguninang Bayan members and department heads had also reimbursed their P4,000 monthly load allowance while P2,500 for the officer-in-charge.

The load reimbursement, implemented in 2021, continues despite irregularities in the submission of the necessary documentation.

CoA said that the municipal officers’ monthly reimbursement appears to be “excessive” and not “economical” considering that lower postpaid plans packed with monthly data and unlimited calls and texts to all networks cost only P999 per month.

CoA defines excessive expenditures as unreasonable expenses incurred at an immoderate quantity and exorbitant price. Expenses exceeding what is usual or proper and unreasonably high and beyond just measure or amount are also considered excessive.

Despite clear guidelines on telephone expenses mandating reasonable limit of the monthly entitlement, state auditors said the municipality claims were “still in the form of reimbursement of postpaid plans and cellcards/e-loads maximizing the allowable monthly budget.”

The office heads, however, told auditors that they are buying cell cards in addition to their personal plans because they are sharing the load with their officemates.

“The incompleteness of supporting documents and absence of proof that the amounts granted are reasonable, considering the Municipality’s classification, rendered the regularity of the related disbursements doubtful,” CoA said.