MANILA — The National Anti-Poverty Commission hired personnel that were either not compliant with existing laws and rules or unnecessary because of redundancy, according to the latest Commission on Audit report.

In the 2021 audit report on NAPC, state auditors said that consultants with redundant functions were hired by NAPC that is deemed unnecessary based on COA Circular No. 2012-003, which defines non-essential expenditures as those not supportive of the implementation of the objectives of the agency.

For 2021, NAPC hired a total of 13 consultants: 6 legal, 4 media and 1 each for financial, gender and development and indigenous peoples, and economic affairs.

The auditors noted that the hiring of consultants resulted in expenditures amounting to P3.398 million, which could be considered not essential and could be dispensed with.

“Review of the tasks and functions as well as the accomplishments of the aforementioned consultants noted among others that the hiring of the Financial Consultant showed that it is not essential to the regular operations of the agency due to the existence of the AFMS - Finance Unit and Internal Audit Unit having the same functions with that of the Financial Consultant,” the auditors said.

The NAPC management told the auditors that the hiring of consultants were approved by its Position Allocation List Evaluation Group based on the needs of the regional and island group units of the agency created in 2018.

The management also said that due to the gravity of the tasks and the lack of responsible officers needed for the implementation of a special project with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, the agency resorted to the hiring of consultants.

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The audit report stated that the NAPC management agreed to the recommendation of the auditors to instruct its Human Resources Management Unit to stop the hiring of consultants with redundant functions.

“Management replied that HRMU will disseminate and properly communicate your observations to different offices of NAPC that require future consultancy services,” the auditors said.

The auditors likewise flagged the hiring of consultants, which did not undergo posting requirements to the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System contrary to the provisions of the Government Procurement Reform Act.

The report also stated that the total budget for consultancy services for 2021 was only P300,000 but total disbursements incurred was P8.219 million.

NAPC management however justified the hiring of their consultants.

“Management commented that the consultant enumerated were hired because of trust and confidence and their technical skills needed in the agency,” the auditors noted.

The hiring of the legal consultant was also without prior written conformity from the Office of the Solicitor General, which goes against COA Circular No. 95-011 and COA Circular 2021-003.

Contract of Service or CoS personnel were likewise flagged for redundancy.

The management however justified that the hiring of CoS personnel was a necessity to hit the agency’s targets and perform its mandate.

“Moreover, NAPC’s mandate is action driven which must not only be effective but also efficient thus, the same can be accomplished only with the help of additional manpower through the hiring of CoS personnel,” NAPC told the auditors.

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