PCOO Operating Expenses Increased By 700 Percent
The operating expenses of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) reportedly increased by 700 percent compared to previous years.
The Commission on Audit’s (COA) released their annual audit report showing that PCOO’s expenses increased by 700 percent.
The agency’s higher expenses were due to the country’s hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) events.
PCOO spends over P1.3 billion operating expenses in 2017, which is 8 times higher than the P157 million expenses in 2016.
COA wrote that the agency spent P771.88 million on rentals and lease including the rental of equipment, vehicles, venues, parking space, tents used during the ASEAN Summit 2017 as well as rentals of office equipment used during the foreign travels of the President last year.
In 2017, the agency spent P162.32 million on travel expenses from only P30.11 million in 2016.
Over P120 million was also spent for other maintenance and other operating offices last year.
The internet subscription expenses also ballooned to P80.27 million, which is much higher than the expenses during the previous year.
The other expenses contributed to the increased PCOO operating cost in 2017 goes to training expenses, supplies and materials, telephone expenses; cable, satellite, radio expenses; janitorial and security services; and repairs and maintenance.
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