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Close to P1 million was spent in constructing the abattoir in Oslob town but the infrastructure project had not been used to date ?depriving? the municipal government and its taxpayers of the benefits of the project.
The Commission on Audit in Central Visayas (COA-7) also said the use of the town ambulance and the lease of heavy equipment were not properly monitored while the P49,395 spent on the training of personnel for the computerization of Oslob's real property, business permit and licensing services were found ?useless?.
Auditors said it was important for a 4th class town like Oslob which operates with a budget of P39 million to maximize the use of its funds.
Delfin Aguilar, COA regional director, wrote Mayor Ronald Guaren on April 30 to formally endorse to him the 2008 audit report.
?The auditor rendered a qualified opinion on the financial position of the municipality of Oslob as of Dec. 31, 2008 and the result of its operations and its cash flows for the year then ended,? the report said.
Auditors said that the municipal government spent a total of P0.879 million since 2004 for the construction of a municipal abattoir in barangay Poblacion, which remained non-functional.
The municipal engineer explained during the exit conference that ?revisions? were suggested by the National Meat Inspection Commission during their first inspection of the project.
Another observation on the lack of a scalding bath was raised during the second inspection.
?We also learned that serious problems presently encountered by the municipality is the ownership of the road right of way of the abattoir,? said the audit report.
The problem is also causing difficulty in the construction of a drainage system for the abattoir.
?The municipal mayor should take immediate action to solve all the problem encountered in order to make the abattoir functional to serve its purpose and to generate additional income.?
Also, regulation was directed on the use of municipal telephone and mobile phone connections to make sure that these were only used for official calls while proper monitoring was ordered imposed on the use of the municipal ambulance and the lease of heavy equipment.
The Municipal Council passed in 2004 an ordinance which authorized the lease of government-owned heavy equipment.
Rental of the heavy equipment was pegged at P1,200 per hour. But if the client would pay for the gasoline and lubricant, the rental was reduced to P800 per hour.
But auditors said they could not find a log book that monitored the use of the equipment.
Neither was there a trip ticket to determine the gasoline consumptions.
Auditors could not also locate copies of contracts, if there was any, which town officials entered into with its lessors.
?The failure of the agency to install proper internal control in imposing rental of heavy equipment resulted to difficulty in determining whether the amount collected (as lease) is correct or not.?
A clear guideline was also unavailable on the use of the municipal ambulance.
Its driver told auditors that he brought patients from Oslob town located 117 kilometers south of Cebu City to private hospitals in the city, consuming at least 33 litters of gasoline during the trip.
But the travel was free of charge.
Auditors said it was important for the municipal government to impose control on the use of its heavy equipment and vehicles.
Refund was also asked for the P3,452.60 which was paid as fine for delays in the registration of town vehicles ? a Hilux with plate no. OEV 695, an ambulance with plate no. SEY 867 and a garbage compactor truck with plate no. SHN 184.
However, the municipal planning officer told COA that lack of documentation prevented him from having these vehicles registered.
