The Commission on Audit (COA) seeks explanation from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) over its purchase of sanitary napkins from a construction firm and not on drug stores.
In its audit report, COA doubts the regularity of the expenditures made by a certain deputy administrator worth P1.269 million from shops that are neither reputable.
Part of the P1.269 million expenditures are hygiene kits, sanitary napkins, and thermal scanners amounting to P969,920, were bought from MRCJP Construction and Trading.
COA said that it cannot locate the establishment when one of their personnel checked it.
The agency said that there are nearby drug stores where the department can purchase the products.
“It is unlikely that these items were bought from a store which deals with construction supplies or hardware, considering that the Mercury Drugstore is just around the vicinity of the OWWA,” it said.
The agency also hints that some items in the so-called hygiene kits were vague and overpriced.
COA noted that the napkins purchased — at around P10, P20, and P30 per piece — “are too costly”. These items can be bought at P8 to P10 each in sari-sari stores.
“Out of the P2,011,441.90 covered by LR No. FM-OWWA 07-10.4, the propriety and regularity of the expenditures charged to the CA of a Deputy Administrator totaling ₱1,269,920.00 is doubtful due to the awarding of the procurement transactions not to reputable drugstores and supermarkets,” COA said.
“This is an indication that OWWA’s resources were not expended in accordance with rules and regulations and is contrary to Section 2, PD No. 1445,” it added.
The same OWWA deputy official also purchased bottled water and snack items worth P300,000 from a caterer from Quezon City’s Barangay Old Balara.
“Likewise, the following purchases of bottled water and snack items such as Lemon Square, Fudgee Bar, Dowee Donut, Cupcakes with total cost of P300,000.00 were procured from a caterer with business address at Tandang Sora, Old Balara, Quezon City,” COA said.
COA did not mention the OWWA deputy official.
