Dateline PhiliPPines OVP bypassed procurement laws in rush to build satellite offices – COA

MANILA — The Office of the Vice President did not fully comply with the country’s procurement laws when it purchased new equipment for its satellite offices in 2022, the Commission on Audit has found.

In its 2022 audit report on the OVP, state auditors flagged the OVP’s procurement of P668,197worth of equipment, which was paid through reimbursement of officials’ personal cash.

The OVP resorted to making purchases through reimbursement due to its decision to immediately open its satellite offices even if it did not yet have enough equipment to operate, COA noted.

“As per inquiry, the immediate establishment of (satellite offices) were made due to Management’s intention to immediately expand services offered by OVP to various provinces. However, controls to ensure that government resources were utilized as intended and prevented from loss should also be considered,” the report stated.

Although state auditors noted that the OVP purchased items with the lowest price in the market, its failure to comply with Republic Act