Unused budget reached trillion-peso levels yearly —COA data

Allocations left unused by government agencies reach P1 trillion yearly, data from the Commission of Audit (COA) showed.

According to a "Saksi" report on Wednesday, the underutilization of funds is almost always blamed on issues such as delays in the release of permits and problems with contractors.

An analysis of COA data by the GMA News Research team found that a total of P949 billion funds were unused in 2018, P1.233 trillion in 2017, and P1.074 trillion in 2016.

In 2019, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) only used up 29 percent of its P92.8-billion budget.

“For 2019 and 2020, a substantial bulk of DOTr’s infrastructure budget was allotted for Railways Sector projects. Most of these projects are with contracts scheduled and on track to be awarded within the 3rd and 4th quarter of 2020,” it said in a statement.

“Disbursement of the Rail Sector’s infrastructure funds may appear slow as projects are hampered by issues such as right-of-way payments, partial operability schedules, and delivery of rolling stocks,” the DOTr added.

Albay representative Edcel Lagman said the unused allocations would have been better off spent on projects in the health and education sector.

“These agencies immobilize scarce resources. Kung hindi nila hiningi ‘yan, sana nabigay sa ibang ahensya na mas mabilis ang pag-utilize ng funds,” he said.

The Department of Budget and Management assured the public that unused funds are returned to the nation’s coffers.

“Wala naman po sigurong ahensya na ang gusto ay patagalin o ‘wag i-implement ‘yung project. Kaya nga po nilagyan natin ng pondo ‘yan dahil kailangan i-implement. ‘Yun lamang, may mga kadahilanan po kung bakit hindi na-implement,” Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado said.

Dr. Marivic Raquiza of the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance said the underutilization of funds reflects the shortcomings of government agencies.

“A lot of the times, meron silang weaknesses sa administrative capacity, technical competence. They can also be weaknesses in planning,” she said.

“There is a need to strengthen ‘yung capacity ng mga ahensya natin to be able to do good planning, proper planning, so that their programs and plans are adequately funded,” Raquiza added.—Julia Mari Ornedo/LDF, GMA News