THE TECHNICAL Education and Skills Development Authority will immediately respond to the report of the Commission on Audit regarding the agency’s spending of P160 million on government’s anti-communist programs.

“As soon as I was informed of this report from the Commission on Audit, I immediately directed our offices concerned to collate all the documents pertaining to this report in order for us to properly respond to the matter,” TESDA director general Isidro Lapeña said in a statement.

In its 2020 audit report, COA questioned the agency over its “highly questionable” transfer of P160 million from the central office to regional offices for the rollout of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, which was created under Executive Order No. 70.

“As far as I know, out of the total P160,083,401.61, the amount of P147,383,401.61 were releases to the regional offices. These funds were sourced out from the TESDA centrally managed funds, specifically from TESDA scholarship funds as reflected in TESDA’s budget fiscal year 2020 General Appropriation Act,” Lapeña explained.

“On the other hand, the amount of P12.7 million balance from the P160 million were taken from the P45.9 million budget for the implementation of EO 70 allocated by DBM [Department of Budget and Management] which are intended for the operating expenses for 17 regions.  The allocation in question were spent for various scholarship and livelihood programs for the beneficiaries such as: members of the communist terrorist groups who decided to return to the government’s fold, residents various geographically isolated and disadvantaged communities, including indigenous peoples in far-flung areas of the country. This fund in question was used in order for them to live a normal life again,” the TESDA chief added.

Lapeña noted that the P6 million fund augmentation for regional office 12 is part of the P12.7 million budget allocation to some regions.

Lapeña said TESDA chairs the Poverty Reduction, Livelihood, and Employment Cluster as well as the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.

“That is the reason why TESDA is actively involved in the various programs of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict,” he said.