Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday said cash advances are part of the operation of local government units and that he believes all LGUs engage in the practice.

“One thing we can assure you is, it passes through a process,” he said, adding that they follow procedures that are supposed to protect the interest of city.

Leonardia said cash advances are made based on actual projects.  A cash advance per se is not illegal, it is a usual practice, he said. It can only sound bad depending on how it is treated in the news, he added.

“After all, we are for transparency,” Leonardia said. What came out in the news is not updated and he was informed that about P5 million of it had already been liquidated, he said.

The documents obtained by members of the media listing unliquidated cash advances of Bacolod City officers and employees amounting to about P1.8 million is not official, City Accountant Ed Ravena, earlier said.

This is because the schedule of advances dated Nov. 30, 2007, which included the names of city officials and employees who are no longer in City Hall, did not bear his signature, he said.

Ravena said letters have already been sent to employees with unsettled cash advances of P50,000 and above, asking them to settle their accounts with the city government.

He said if they fail to settle their cash advances, the Commission on Audit has authority to file charges against them.

Leonardia said if the COA will become strict with its liquidation requirements, he would even welcome that.

He said the city can always review its accounting system if ever it has some flaws.

“But let us always presume they are doing their job until proven otherwise,” Leonardia said. So if COA will come up with their recommendation based on their observation, we will welcome anything that is meant to improve the accounting system, he said.*CGS

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