Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 30) — The Department of Education (DepEd) is in the process of closing down several bank accounts containing ₱362.8 million, which have been flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA).
At the sidelines of the House appropriations committee’s hearing Wednesday, DepEd Undersecretary and spokesperson Michael Poa said the bank accounts were dormant.
He said tey contained donations and funds from the Duterte administration.
“Apparently there were donations or some funds that were with DepEd from the previous administration pa po na nag-dormant na yung account [but the accounts are now dormant],” Poa said.He added that he has requested more details about the bank accounts.
“We are in the process of closing down na yung accounts na ‘yan,” Poa said. “But right now as to the details, ‘di ko po talaga alam. In fact nagpapa-brief pa po tayo doon sa mga program owners ng account na ‘yan.”
[Translation: We are in the process of closing down those accounts. But right now, as to the details, I really don’t know. In fact, we are still briefing the program owners of that account.]In its 2022 audit report on DepEd, COA recommended the closure of the “unauthorized, unnecessary and dormant” bank accounts and remitting the balances to the national treasury.COA said the bank accounts maintained by, among others, the Office of the Secretary and various schools division offices, included “collections and receipts from various sources still retained in the said unauthorized current accounts as standby funds and kept available at their disposal.”
