ILOILO – Over 1,500 out of 1,721 barangays in this province have completed property inventories of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) assets, financial records, documents, and money accountabilities (PFRDs).
They have either initiated initial assessments or finalized the inventories of government properties, as reported by Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) – Iloilo Director Engr. Carmelo F. Orbista.
Outgoing and newly-elected barangay officials were granted a three-week transition period starting from October 31, one day after the elections. During this period, under the supervision of the City/Municipal Assessment and Transition Team (C/MATT), inventories were expected to be conducted, and proper turnover would take place.
Orbista explained, “They have a target date where, within three weeks after the elections, the final turnover between outgoing and incoming officials should have been completed.”
He expressed optimism that by November 20, all 1,721 barangays in the province will have finished the inventory and turnover of properties and documents. In case outgoing officials fail to turnover properties properly, incoming officials can file a complaint with the Commission on Audit (COA).
Orbista added, “There are sanctions in place. The newly-elected officials can always approach COA because they oversee auditing, and they can file corresponding cases.”
As of the current update, DILG-Iloilo has not received any complaints.
On March 21, 2023, DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos issued Memorandum Circular (MC) 2023-047, mandating the “Conduct of Inventory and Turnover of Barangay/Sangguniang Kabataan Properties, Financial Records, Documents, and Money Accountabilities by all incumbent Barangay and SK Officials, and the creation of the Barangay and SK Inventory Team and the City/Municipal Assessment and Turnover Team, in view of the October 30, 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.”
The memorandum was addressed to all city and municipal mayors, accountants, budget officers, treasurers, youth development officers, punong barangays, members of the Sangguniang Barangay, barangay secretaries and treasurers, SK chairpersons, other barangay and SK officials, regional directors and field offices, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao-Minister of the Interior of Local Government, and other concerned government officials./PN
