COA: OVP gave out P3.4-M aid sans project vetting
The Office of the Vice President (OVP) spent P3.4 million in livelihood assistance without checking the feasibility and economic viability of its related projects, the Commission on Audit (COA) said in its 2024 report on the OVP published on Monday.
The state auditor noted that a total of 128 individuals and 10 nongovernmental organizations received assistance amounting to P3.4 million from January to September last year under the OVP’s “Mag Negosyo ‘Ta Day” (MTD) livelihood program first introduced in 2023.
While all 138 beneficiaries were found eligible for the grants, their project proposals were not assessed by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) to determine if these were feasible or economically viable, the COA said.
“Hence, the purposes and objectives of the MTD program may not [have been] met [or] achieved,” the agency said.
Manual on MTD
According to the program’s manual, individual beneficiaries can receive a grant of P15,000 while groups or associations may be provided P100,000 to P200,000, depending on the number of their members.
The COA said “no written agreement was prepared by the OVP with the PDIC and the DTI relative to their responsibility for the review of the project proposals and subsequent endorsement to the OVP.”
Without any evaluation by these two agencies, the concerned beneficiaries had not undergone their training programs. There was no review either on the viability of their project proposals.
Upon inquiry with the MTD’s focal person, the COA was told it would be challenging to have the proposals evaluated by another agency without a prior agreement with the OVP.
The state auditor also cited the OVP’s revised manual in October 2024, which now required the staff of its Special Projects Division as well as its satellite offices to ensure the viability of livelihood proposals.
Home visits
The COA also cited the OVP’s failure to conduct home visits to beneficiaries to monitor how the funds were used.
Of the 83 “sample beneficiaries” under the MTD program, the OVP visited only 11, the COA said, adding that of the remaining 72 beneficiaries, home visits were either conducted before or after the required period of monitoring or not conducted at all.
“In order to evaluate and ensure that the seed capital fund is used for micro-enterprise development, monitoring and evaluation activities should be regularly conducted and properly documented,” the COA said.
The agency also pointed out the OVP’s deficiency in documenting the distribution of its welfare goods amounting to P110 million.
Specifically, the commission said the agency failed to attach the certified master list of beneficiaries, situation reports and mission orders, among other requirements.
Speaking against corruption
The Vice President had been earlier linked to controversy for allegedly misusing P612.5 million in confidential funds in her office as well as in the Department of Education from 2022 to 2023. Duterte resigned as education secretary in June 2024.
The House of Representatives impeached Duterte in February 2025. But the Senate moved to shelve the articles of impeachment in August after the Supreme Court ruled that the complaints against her violated the one-year ban on impeachment complaints prescribed in the 1987 Constitution.
Despite that episode, Duterte spoke once more against government corruption, releasing a video statement on Monday on the OVP’s year-end report that also highlighted her projects and accomplishments.
“We will always demonstrate that it is important to have a plan, a proper implementation of projects, a continuing campaign against corruption, and courage and compassion so that our country can achieve progress,” the Vice President said, adding that her office “will continue to oppose the greed among a number of high-ranking officials in our government.”
Beneficiaries
Among the accomplishments that Duterte cited were the 4,643 Filipinos who received medical aid and the 1,377 deceased whose burial expenses were covered under the OVP’s Medical and Burial Assistance Program.
The OVP also assisted 73,054 families in various calamities this year, she said.
It also served 875,176 commuters nationwide from January to October through the free bus rides provided by her office.
Furthermore, the OVP distributed 56,575 bags of rice and other essential food items under its Relief for Indigents and Individuals in Crises and Emergencies program.
Under its Million Learners Campaign, 460,272 school bags were distributed to students nationwide.
And under the MTD program for this year, the OVP provided support to 15 groups and 2,245 aspiring business owners, Duterte said. —WITH REPORTS FROM ZACARIAN SARAO AND INQUIRER RESEARCH
