OWWA reps fail to remit P21 M in overseas collections—COA

MANILA, Philippines—Officials of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration assigned abroad have failed to remit over P21 million in overseas collections  to the Manila account of the OWWA, putting  these funds at risk of misappropriation, according to the Commission on Audit.

The COA, in its 2010 OWWA report, said dollar and euro collections from various foreign posts which are equivalent to P21.587 million, had been unremitted “for a long period of time.”

These represent collections for the agency’s voluntary membership program, under which overseas workers get assistance for themselves and their family for various concerns.

According to the COA, OWWA’s overseas officers are required to remit their monthly collections to the OWWA Land Bank-Manila dollar account not later than the fifth day of the following month.

But in its scrutiny of the records, it found that P21.587 million had not been remitted for periods ranging from one to 10 years.

Several of the concerned collecting officers are still in the service, four have absconded or are absent without official leave, while another 10 have resigned or moved to another agency, COA said. It also noted that collections from Switzerland from October 2007 to December 2010 were remitted by a labor department employee.

Because the collections were not remitted timely, the funds are at risk of being misused, the COA warned.

“With the lapse of time and the continuous failure of the said collecting officer, particularly those with large amounts of accountability, to remit the said collections, the possibility that the same had been misappropriated could not be discounted,” it said.

It was also concerned that some of the funds may already be lost.

“Moreover, recovering the same may become difficult and may even be doubtful for those who had absconded or had been separated from the service,” it said.

The audit agency told the OWWA that it should demand the immediate remittance of the full amount from the concerned collecting officers.

The OWWA should also withhold payment of any money to the collecting officers, and hold them accountable, it said. It added that the OWWA should get in touch with those who have gone AWOL and demand that they settle their accountability for the unremitted collections.

The OWWA, in response, told the COA that it had sent demand letters to their employees and had withheld their salaries and other benefits in the meantime. It had also sent notices to the collection officers who are not with the OWWA anymore, but are still in the service at the labor department, it added.

It also vowed to find those who have absconded so that they could be held accountable.