MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Vice President (OVP) addressed recent audit observations regarding its Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Funds on Friday, September 25, stating that identified issues involved internal procedures rather than legal or regulatory breaches.
In an official statement, the agency explained that the flagged deficiencies related strictly to internal “pre-operation” paperwork set by the OVP prior to executing relief missions.
“The matter cited in the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Funds Audit Report pertains to deficiencies in certain pre-operation documentary requirements set by the OVP itself as part of its internal procedures, and not requirements imposed by any law or Commission on Audit (COA) regulation,” the OVP said.
The OVP noted that fluid on-the-ground conditions during emergency responses led to discrepancies in pre-operational records. However, the agency reassured the public that public funds were fully accounted for throughout the relief initiatives.
“No funds were lost, and all funds are accounted for,” it said.
The agency maintained that relief distribution took place as planned, with field logs and recipient verification documents submitted to the COA Audit Team to validate the operations.
“The relief operations were actually carried out, and the beneficiaries were recorded and validated based on the available supporting documents and field records submitted to the COA Audit Team,” the OVP said.
To prevent similar documentation gaps during future emergency deployments, the office stated it is refining its administrative and tracking protocols.
“The OVP continues to strengthen its processes for documentation, validation, and monitoring to ensure that the records of every operation are complete and in order, especially during emergency responses and calamities,” it said.