CoA flags Davao LGU over ‘incorrect reports’

The Commission on Audit reported that the local government of Davao City was called out for submitting an "incorrect report," claiming it had finished three infrastructure projects despite non-completion.

The 2022 audit findings revealed that Davao City had three infrastructure projects worth P85.587 million and of the total, one project valued at P76.445 has yet to be completed, contrary to Davao City's submitted report to CoA.

The P76.445 million incomplete project pertains to the construction of Doña Vicente Park at Barangay 10-A Davao City. Identical to the two other projects, the completion of this is expected by the end of 2022.

State auditors revealed that apart from being inconsistent with the Statement of Work Accomplishment or SoWA which supports the disbursement voucher for the final payment, the non-completion of the said project deprived the targeted beneficiaries of the immediate benefits that could be derived from the project.

The audit team conducted ocular inspections of the three reported completed infrastructure projects from 9 to 12 January. However, upon checking, the Doña Vicente Park remained uncompleted.

"A revalidation was made on 20 January 2023, but then the project construction was still ongoing. Workers/laborers were still working in different areas of the park," the CoA said.

It added that the Davao City's local government should not accept and release the final payment to the contractor.

"Since the project was reported as purportedly completed on time despite its actual delay in completion, liquidated damages were not imposed upon the final payment," it said.

CoA also pointed out that one of the primary considerations for entering into a contract is the early completion of the infrastructure projects so that the expected benefits for the intended users/public would be timely achieved and delivered.

The deficiencies, CoA added, could be attributable to the absence of an independent inspectorate team that would validate the reported project completion to ensure the correctness and truthfulness of its reported actual status.