COA declares on its 2017 audit report that the travels of Cesar Montano as the former TPB chief were “excessive and extravagant”.
Commission on Audit (COA) released a report which stated the elaboration of Cesar Montano’s travels as former chief of Tourism Promotions Board.
The agency labeled his trips during the time he was leading TPB as “excessive and extravagant.
Montano went abroad 14 times last year. Out of the 365 days, he traveled for 91 days which is 25 percent of the year, based on the article published in Rappler.
According to the 2017 audit report of COA, the former Chied Operating Officer of TPB spent P2.276 million for himself. This was during his travels to Asia, Europe, Australia, and North America last year.
During his trips to Russia, Canada, and the US, Montano used the business class and his tickets were worth P594,000.
Another P2.995 million came out from the fund of TPB for the expenses of his private secretary and executive assistant during the 11 trips he had out of 14 in 2017.
The Officer in Charge (OIC) Deputy for International Promotions also paid P1.957 million for the 16 trips to Asia, Europe, Australia, and North America.
“The TPB should find ways to minimize the cost and optimize the performance of duties of its officers and employees for an effective and efficient organization,” COA said.
Furthermore, the state auditors also cited that the TPB sent personnel abroad whose jobs are not related to the trips.
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Regarding this issue, COA said “There were no individual accomplishment reports/narrative reports which can be a basis for evaluation and monitoring performances and evaluation of the trips’ relevance to TPB’s mandate and learnings therefrom to improve TPBs performance.”
COA wants Montano and his two assistants to pay P66,620 which is the amount of their tickets for the Philippine Business Mission in Japan but they did not attend, based on the article.