THE Commission on Audit (CoA) said the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) failed to utilize training funds worth P201 million dating back to 2002.
According to its 2018 annual audit report, the TESDA Development Fund (TDF) had an accumulated balance of P201,383,354.41 which remains unutilized since the fund was established in 2002.
“Through its 16 years of operation however, there were no annual concrete plans, programs, projects or activities undertaken in order to address the purpose of the Fund as indicated in RA No. 7796 or the TESDA Act of 1994,” said CoA in its report.
It added, “No single transaction on awarded grants or assistance was given to training institutions, industries, LGUs for upgrading their capabilities and to develop and implement training and training-related activities.”
TDF was supposed to “provide assistance to training institutions, industries, LGUs, for upgrading their capabilities and to develop and implement training and training related activities.”
CoA noted that it was only in 2018 that P10 million from the TDF was used for a research program.
Following the findings, the state auditors recommended that TESDA disburse the funds and prepare plans and programs for the projects it was allocated for.
It added that the agency should also submit accomplishment report on the conduct of the research program.
In response, TESDA said that the board members followed some conditions in the management of the fund, including a bar on using seed capital. — Vince Angelo C. Ferreras
