Metro Manila, Philippines – The Commission on Audit has asked the Department of Education to settle billions of pesos in disallowed and suspended transactions under the leadership of Vice President Sara Duterte.

The total questionable items covered nearly P12.3 billion in the agency’ 2023 budget.

“Non-compliance with the existing laws, rules and regulations resulted in P10,099,733,281.52 in suspension, P2,190,140,136.53 in disallowance, and P7,383,880.88 in charges, for a total of P12,297,257,298.93 as of December 31, 2023, which remained unsettled,” COA said in its annual audit report.

Under the revised Rules and Regulations on Settlement of Accounts, a transaction is suspended in audit when “it is temporarily disallowed/disapproved” until the requirements during the course of audit are addressed.

COA issues a Notice of Disallowance when transactions are tagged as “illegal, irregular, unnecessary, excessive, extravagant or unconscionable expenditure.”

State auditors may release a Notice of Charge if “the correct amount of revenue/receipt due the government is not received by the agency as a result of under-appraisal, assessment, or collection.”

The COA report noted that the agency’s unsettled balances due to notices of disallowance, suspensions, and charges stood at P11.3 billion on Dec. 31, 2022. It rose by a billion pesos a year later.

In a message, DepEd vowed to respond to COA’s report in October.

“DepEd is conducting a series of consultations and coordination with its regional offices and respective audit teams to finalize the Agency Action Plan and Status of Implementation,” the agency said.

READ: Only 3% of target classrooms built in 2023 – COA

Duterte quit DepEd in July and was succeeded by Sonny Angara.

NewsWatch Plus sought the side of the Office of the Vice President but it has yet to respond.