The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) clarified that P222 million or 49% of the P452.55 million reported as unliquidated cash advances to officers and employees based on the 2013 Annual Financial Report submitted by Commission on Audit (COA) to Congress has already been liquidated as of October 31, 2014.

This came after a news report mentioned that DSWD was among the agencies which owed the government some P10.14 billion in unliquidated cash advances.

Of the remaining balance of P230 million, P54 million is already in the process of liquidation and is expected to be completed before the year ends.

However, the liquidation of the remaining P175 million which is attributed to DSWD-Field Office VIII has been a challenge for the Field Office.

It can be recalled that in 2013, Typhoon Yolanda heavily damaged DSWD-Field Office VIII in Tacloban City destroying various records, including financial documents.

Concerned Field Office officials and employees assured that though they are having difficulties in reconstructing the liquidation documents, they are exerting all efforts to settle the accounts.

“We are assisting our Field Office by providing them Technical Assistance to expedite the liquidation process of the amount,” DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman stated.

The bulk of the advances to officers and employees pertain to cash advances granted for the implementation of DSWD programs and projects particularly the Cash-for-Work and Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens wherein payout/payment to beneficiaries is made directly by the DSWD Special Disbursing Officers.

“Pending submission of liquidation documents, we affirm that none of this amount was pocketed, but were distributed to the intended beneficiaries of our programs,” Sec. Soliman emphasized. ###