EDITORIAL: Wasted Aid

THE recent findings of the Commission on Audit (COA) on the Cebu Provincial Government’s mishandling of welfare goods are more than a routine audit reminder—they reveal a failure of governance with direct consequences for the most vulnerable.

According to COA’s 2024 Annual Audit Report, thousands of essential items intended for distribution—9,720 expired bath soaps and 29,120 cans of beef loaf nearing expiration—were left unused in the province’s warehouses.

More troubling, inventory records inaccurately showed that the soaps had already been issued, while the beef loaf remained idle despite approaching its expiry date.

In a province where many families rely on government relief during crises, letting welfare goods rot on shelves is indefensible. Expired supplies offer no comfort to the poor; they represent opportunities lost, resources wasted, and a disturbing lapse in public service.

But the problem goes deeper than simple neglect. COA uncovered glaring discrepancies between the warehouse inventory reports and the Provincial Accounting Office’s subsidiary ledger.

Goods such as sardines, noodles, rice, mineral water, and corned beef were missing from one list but still listed as existing in another. Some items could not be accounted for at all. These inconsistencies paint a picture of a system lacking transparency and internal controls.

Worse, physical inspection showed that many goods were either missing or misreported. The audit report bluntly stated that the reported ₱4.5 million worth of welfare goods “is unreliable.” Such a conclusion should alarm not only Cebu’s provincial leaders but also the constituents they serve.

The root causes are equally troubling: delayed submission of requisition and issue slips, lapses in documentation, and failure to conduct the mandated semi-annual physical inventory under COA rules.

These are basic administrative responsibilities, not advanced accounting challenges. When government offices cannot even reconcile their own records or comply with standard procedures, questions about competence and accountability naturally arise.

COA has offered corrective measures—reconcile records, make adjusting entries, enforce regular inventory counts, and create specialized inventory committees. These recommendations are sound, but they should not be treated as mere bureaucratic requirements. They must be embraced with urgency and sincerity.

The explanation offered during the exit conference—that the goods remain stored pending distribution—only reinforces the COA’s position. Welfare goods are not meant to sit in warehouses; they are meant to reach communities in need. Every day of delay increases the risk of expiry, spoilage, or loss—and deprives beneficiaries of much-needed assistance.

Cebu’s provincial leadership owes its people more than assurances. It owes them results. The public deserves to know why essential goods expired under government care, why inventory records were unreliable, and why routine oversight mechanisms were ignored.

The COA report is not simply a technical finding. It is a reminder that ineffective governance carries real costs. While goods sit forgotten in warehouses, families wait. While records contradict each other, trust erodes. And while accountability falters, public funds—and public welfare—suffer.

The Cebu Provincial Government must act decisively, not defensively. Only through transparency, accountability, and prompt corrective action can it restore confidence and ensure that no welfare good—and no citizen—is left neglected again.