COA flags 21 SUCs over deficiencies

by Elizabeth Marcelo – The Philippine Star, 31 Dec 2021

In P1.67 billion projects

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged 21 state universities and colleges (SUCs) over “deficiencies” in the implementation of various projects and programs amounting to P1.67 billion.

Due to these deficiencies, the COA in its consolidated 2020 annual financial report, said the expected benefits of the billion-peso programs and projects “were not maximized and objectives were not fully attained.”

Among the state universities called out by the audit body was the Polytechnic University of the Philippines over poor utilization of its Special Trust Fund amounting to P895.06 million, unallocated actual collections and minimal utilization of its fiduciary funds.

The Bicol University was flagged over “very low accomplishment rate” of its skills training program for Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries with an allocated fund of P313.02 million.

The West Visayas State University was called out over delayed completion of 20 special projects for the WVSU main campus with total funding of P216.89 million.

The COA said there was also P4.607 million in unutilized funds for 14 completed special projects, which the WVSU has yet to return to the source agencies.

Seven SUCs were called out over poor performance in licensure examinations. These are the Bulacan Agricultural State College, Bataan Peninsula State University, Benguet State University, Don Honorio Ventura State University in Pampanga, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, Philippine Merchant Marine Academy and President Ramon Magsaysay State University in Zambales.

“Seven SUCs either obtained licensure examination passing rates below the national passing rate or higher than the NPR but with unsuccessful examinees higher than the successful examinees, casting doubt on the capability of the college to produce professionals in the affected fields,” the COA said.

The other SUCs called out by COA over deficient implementation of various programs and projects were the Quirino State University, Tarlac Agricultural University, Tarlac State University, Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Mountain Province State Polytechnic College, Pampanga State Agricultural University, Catanduanes State University, Abra State Institute of Sciences and Technology, Central Mindanao University, Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology and Isabela State University.

The COA asked the concerned SUCs to revisit their respective programs especially those with poor performance or output and adopt the applicable interventions.

“Assign one specific office that will monitor and consolidate the report on the employability of the graduates which can be used effectively by the offices concerned for planning purposes and development of enhanced strategies,” the agency recommended.

In its consolidated 2020 annual financial report, the COA cited the grant of scholarship benefits to unqualified students, non-alignment of some of the SUCs’ curriculum programs, non-inclusion of priority courses in the projects and programs as well as non-compliance with the conditions set in the scholarship grants by student and faculty-employee grantees.

The agency also noted below average performance rating in licensure examinations, inefficient management of funds as well as poor planning and monitoring of the programs and projects.