347 permanent posts at Capitol still vacant

By: Gerome Dalipe

ABOUT 347 permanent positions at the Iloilo Provincial Government are still vacant, according to the Commission on Audit (COA).

In their annual audit report, the state auditors said there are also 2,137 contractual positions that need to be filled.

The auditors pointed out the Capitol’s failures to implement the organizational structure, staffing pattern and policies, and procedures in engaging the services of job order and contract of services workers as the reasons of the unfilled vacancy.

Such practice also ran contrast to Sections 76 and 77 of the Local Government Code, which provides for organizational structure and staffing pattern for every local government unit.

Thus, the auditors recommended to the governor to direct the provincial administrator to review the existing structure and mandates of the Capitol’s Human Resource Management and Development Office.

The human resources officer also needs to revisit the composition and corresponding functions of working for the establishment of an effective and efficient Human Resource Management System.

Otherwise, ensure to change by restructuring the office and updating its mandates and functions to ensure the diligent performance of assigned responsibilities.

Likewise, the governor is also urged to direct the HRMDO to incorporate and implement in the major final output and targets of the office performance commitment and review.

This is to ensure that the design of the organizational structure and staffing pattern and the formulation of policies and procedures are relevant in engaging the services of permanent or temporary workers.

Apart from unfilled plantilla, the Provincial Capitol also awarded various purchase orders without validating the availability of drugs and medicines.

The Capitol also needs to ascertain the capacity of the prospective supplier to deliver on time and to submit the required documents.

The Provincial Government’s failure to carry out such a mandate violated the provisions of Republic Act 9184, or the Government Procurement Reform Act, which provides for transparency in the procurement process and in the implementation of procurement contracts.

It also cast doubt on the integrity of the procurement process and delayed the provision of needed drugs and medicines to the provincial district hospitals, which were forced to purchase medicines using its petty cash fund amounting to P24.60-million.