Audit observations were already addressed – ISUFST

By Francis Allan Angelo

The administration of the Iloilo State University of Fisheries Science and Technology (ISUFST) said it has been addressing audit observations made by the Commission on Audit in its operations in the past years.

Dr. Nordie Siason Jr., ISUFST president, noted that some of the matters taken up by the COA audit observations happened before he was designated as university president and administrator of Iloilo State College of Fisheries (ISCOF).

One of the COA observations he clarified is the story titled “COA scores school cashier for late remittance of P7.314 collections.”

Siason said, “ISUFST acknowledges the concern raised by COA and would like to emphasize that the University has diligently addressed each point highlighted in the audit observation.”

The late remittance was due to the pandemic which resulted in transportation restrictions, thus posing challenges for the cashier of ISUFST-Dumangas Campus in remitting the funds.

“We wish to clarify that the delayed remittances mentioned occurred during the pandemic. The constraints on travel and banking operations, coupled with mobility limitations, presented considerable challenges for the cashier of ISUFST-Dumangas Campus in making daily or weekly remittances to Land Bank of the Philippines. It is important to note that COA has acknowledged the implementation of corrective measures by ISUFST-Dumangas Campus to rectify the situation. As of this period, the said observation has been noted and fully implemented,” Dr. Siason said.

As to the story titled “University’s mode of transferring P198-M to external campuses ‘erroneous’ — COA,” Dr. Siason said ISUFST is committed to adhering to COA’s recommendations for a proper disbursement system.

“In line with our dedication to transparent governance and stringent precautionary measures, the ISUFST has taken a proactive step of working on the implementation of a centralized disbursement system. We believe that this adjustment will not only align with COA’s suggestions but also contribute to a more effective financial management within and across our campuses.”

As to the supposed disallowed funds of the school as narrated in the story titled “School asked to settle P6.2-M in `disallowed funds’,” ISUFST said it has taken decisive actions to address the disallowances mentioned.

“Specifically, the University has been diligently collecting the disallowed funds and has sent demand letters to persons who are no longer connected with the institution. These measures demonstrate our commitment to rectifying any discrepancies and ensuring the responsible handling of university funds.”

Siason assured that the “University’s steadfast dedication to upholding the highest governance, efficiency, and accountability standards remains at the frontline that supports the impact and access to quality tertiary education.”