The Department of Education (DepEd) is seen at its headquarters in Pasig City on February 6, 2025. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File
MANILA— Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara on Wednesday addressed the findings of the Commission on Audit over unverified voucher beneficiaries and an infrastructure project in Davao del Norte.
COA earlier flagged 58 "unverifiable" beneficiaries under the Senior High School Voucher Program, resulting in P938,000 in government overpayments.
"Kami meron naman kaming procedure para i-check yon. Kung nagcharge sila na 'di na dapat, nagdropout na or hindi natuloy ang enrolment pero na charge pa sa voucher system, bukod sa refund, pwede namin sila kasuhan," Angara said.
COA flags ‘unverifiable’ SHS voucher beneficiaries that led to P938k overpayments
According to the 2025 Department of Education audit report released Sept. 23, the beneficiaries were identified as dropouts, transferees, non-enrollees, deceased learners or absentees, but lacked sufficient supporting records to verify their eligibility.
COA recommended that DepEd verify the eligibility documents of beneficiaries placed under incorrect voucher categories and require the concerned schools to refund any resulting overpayments.
It also urged DepEd to strengthen its post-billing validation procedures to ensure schools promptly and accurately update beneficiary information.
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Meanwhile, auditors also flagged P83.2 million worth of DepEd infrastructure projects in Davao del Norte that were found to be "non-existent, abandoned or substantially incomplete."
"Yung school buildings sa Davao del Norte, I think na complete na," Angara said.
"When the COA checked, parang walang building. Nung huling check namin nung engineering, meron na po," he added.
Angara says he believes the existence of the buildings will satisfy the requirements of auditors.