Atty. Jimbo Maristela once again criticized the city government through a new vlog released on March 26, this time raising concerns over the more than ₱349 million Special Education Fund (SEF), which he alleged was “underutilized” and not efficiently managed by the local government, based on the 2023 Audit Observation Report by the Commission on Audit (COA).
In his vlog, Maristela pointed out that according to the COA report, there was a school building at San Miguel National High School funded by the SEF in 2022, but construction had yet to begin.
“Ang pondo ng Special Education Fund base sa COA Audit Observation Report ng 2023 ay umaabot ng mahigit ₱349 milyon, at malaking bahagi nito ay hindi nagagamit. Umaabot sa ₱240 milyon ang unprogrammed,” Maristela said in his latest vlog.
The former city councilor also revealed that over ₱40 million worth of projects from the 2022 SEF allocation had not been implemented by the city government, which means students have yet to benefit from them.
Maristela cited as an example the school building at San Miguel National High School that was allocated ₱6 million in 2022 but remains unconstructed.
“At ang masakit pa nito, doon sa mga na-program na proyekto na pinondohan mula sa Special Education Fund base sa COA Audit Observation Report, umaabot sa mahigit ₱40 milyon ang hindi pa naipatutupad ng Pamahalaang Panlungsod ng Puerto Princesa. Dapat sana ang mga school buildings, classrooms, at iba pang kagamitang kailangan ng ating mga mag-aaral ay napapakinabangan na ng kabataang estudyante sa lungsod,” he added.
Maristela called on the city government to use the Special Education Fund and start and complete the projects funded by it so students can finally benefit.
This is Maristela’s fourth vlog criticizing various city government projects funded with millions of pesos but remain unfinished to date.
His first vlog focused on the Flood Control Project, the second on the construction of two public markets in the city, the third on issues surrounding the sanitary landfill, and the latest, the Special Education Fund for 2022.
