The unused power generating set purchased by the provincial government of Bohol will be used at the new annex building of the provincial capitol which is undergoing construction in Barangay Dao, Tagbilaran City.
A statement from the Capitol said the observation report of the Commission on Audit (COA) citing the unused generator was already issued a reply explaining why it has not been used.
The four-storey building which is now 60% completed will house the offices of the Provincial Agriculture, , Provincial Veterinarian and the Provincial health office.
In its report, the Commission on Audit (COA) said that a generator set costing Php1,624,000.00 which remained unused for more than two years from its acquisition for lack of a power house, may result to waste of government funds due to deterioration,
It said that the gen set is one of the four gen sets procured by the provincial government totaling P5,373,000.00 for use of offices of the Governor’s mansion, capitol annex, and motor pool and Camp Dagohoy of the provincial police office.
The acquisition of the gen sets was prompted following the natural disasters — earthquake on October 15, 2013 and typhoon Yolanda on November 8, 2013 that resulted to blackout for months.
Of the four gen sets acquired, “the one assigned/delivered at New Capitol annex were not put to use from the time of its delivery to present due to non-provision of a powerhouse.”
“For two years, it remained idle and did not serve its purpose to the risk of deterioration and exposure to elements of nature thus waste of government funds tantamount to those enumerated under Annex “C” of COA circular 2012-003. Cases that are considered Unnecessary expenditures of government funds and property,” COA stressed.
COA also found after verification that the generator sets appeared to be a reconditioned unit; oil and oil filter are observed to have been in use; no keys for the door lock; no operation and maintenance manual submitted; and worn out belts were observed.
But these defects in the said gen set have been fixed or replaced by the PGSO that the gen set is “running normal condition.”
The management of the provincial government, in its reply to COA, said that the governor stressed the need of a powerhouse to be built, instructing the provincial administrator “to address the matter as soon as possible considering the wear and tear” of the gen set.
The governor also ordered the Provincial General Services Office to check the functionality of said gen set while the provincial administrator “assured that the necessary structures will be constructed to make the generator set functional.”
COA has recommended to the management of the provincial government to make use of the generator set. (with reports from rvo)