In response to several reports concerning alleged unliquidated cash advances of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), PCOO Undersecretary Noel Puyat today made an assurance that all expenses and disbursements by the PCOO have been regular, actual and necessary in the performance of its functions as the government’s chief communications and media relations agency.
“Consecutive ‘Statements of Audit Suspensions, Disallowances and Charges’ from the Commission on Audit (COA) show that there have been no suspended nor disallowed expenses by the PCOO since we assumed office in July 2016 and that we have been very transparent and regular in all our transactions,” Usec. Puyat said. The most recent Annual Audit Report of the COA for PCOO concluded that “There were no Notice of Suspension, Disallowance and Charges issued in CY 2016.”
“The issue of alleged unliquidated advances of some of our officers and personnel is a matter of reconciling travel records and official receipts,” Usec. Puyat said. “Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella, in particular, has submitted all his receipts and the liquidation of his cash advances within days from his arrival from Presidential trips.”
Usec. Puyat asserted that all expenses and receipts are on record and that the PCOO will exert immediate effort to harmonize the files between the PCOO’s Accounting office and the Commission on Audit.
On the other hand, Usec. Puyat acknowledged the COA observation and recommendation as regards representation expenses described as disbursements for media representation, meals, beverages, gifts and raffle prizes from January to June 2016 amounting to roughly Php 20 million. The COA report noted that most of these expenses were not supported by sufficient official documents to validate and justify the necessity and propriety of the expenses made. “From the time we took office, we have exerted great effort to correct this practice. All disbursements for representation have and will continue to be supported by official receipts and justifications to validate their regularity and necessity in the performance of our functions.”
The COA report shows that “Expenses for Media” have been zero from July to December 2016.
