Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 5) — State auditors were alarmed over the poor condition of the Department of Social Welfare and Development-National Capital Region’s (DSWD-NCR) storage facility for relief items.
In a 238-page consolidated report on the audit of disaster risk reduction and management funds, the Commission on Audit (COA) said the storage facility “is not well-maintained and in a state of disrepair.”
“The overall condition of the facility is subpar and does not meet the required standards for a safe and secure storage environment,” said COA.
“The external structure showed visible signs of wear and tear, including broken windows, damaged roofing and missing part of the entrance door,” it also said.
Auditors also pointed out that sacks of rice already infested with weevil were stored in some of the comfort rooms, while some food packs and family kits were found in a tent outside the building.
COA also said relief goods in the warehouse were stacked “haphazardly” with no clear organization or label of items.
“Inspection also revealed that the goods meant for repacking were no longer in their original boxes, making it difficult for the staff to locate and retrieve the required items for repacking,” the report read. “The food packs were stacked on top of each other with no proper labeling, which resulted in some food packs being damaged or expired.”
The COA auditing team said it was concerned with the lack of regular pest control as cockroaches and rats infested the facility, forcing the staff to transfer stocks of coffee and cereals.
“The lack of cleanliness and organization in the storage area increases the risk of spoilage, damage, and loss of goods, which could result in financial losses to the government,” the auditors said.
In light of the COA observations, the DSWD said it will consider conducting regular pest control and repairs in the storage facility.
“Rest assured that the management is already looking into this concern to fast-track and apply the necessary changes to improve the stockpiling, cleanliness, and condition of the NCR warehouse,” said DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez in a statement.
The department added that the National Resource Operations Center, its main disaster hub, can temporarily store some of the family food packs from the NCR warehouse until the situation improves.
