The Office of the Vice President (OVP) on Thursday pushed back against any hint of scandal, saying the Commission on Audit (COA) found “no finding of wrongdoing” in its newly released 2024 audit report.
In a statement, the OVP—headed by Vice President Sara Duterte—said COA’s major observations and recommendations were already discussed with its officials during an exit conference on May 16, 2025.
And their message was clear: this wasn’t about stolen money.
“There were no findings of loss or wastage of government funds or property,” the OVP said, stressing that the concerns raised were mainly administrative—the kind of issues that point to paperwork, procedure, and process.
Still, the agency acknowledged the recommendations and said management agreed to implement steps to address the observations tied to Calendar Year 2024.
What COA’s “Unmodified Opinion” Means
The OVP also highlighted that COA issued an unmodified opinion on its financial statements.
In simple terms, that’s audit-speak for: the financial statements were presented fairly, with no major misstatements that would change the overall picture.
It’s the kind of phrase agencies like to hear—because it signals credibility in how figures were reported.
But even with that, COA didn’t leave the report blank.
The Key Audit Concern: Unliquidated Livelihood Grants
One of the main findings involved the OVP’s livelihood assistance program called Mag Negosyo Ta ‘Day (MTD).
COA flagged the delayed liquidation of financial grants given in 2024—meaning some beneficiaries had not yet completed the required documentation showing how the money was used.
As of May 7, 2025, COA reported the following status for 31 grants:
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14 were fully liquidated
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11 were returned for compliance (meaning documents needed corrections or completion)
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6 were still unliquidated
That last number stands out. Not because it automatically means wrongdoing—but because it raises the kind of question auditors always ask:
Where are the supporting papers—and when will they be submitted?
And for public funds, that question carries weight.
Lower Travel Spending in 2024
COA also noted a drop in the OVP’s travel expenses.
In 2023, travel expenses were reported at ₱42.77 million.
In 2024, that went down to ₱34.42 million.
It’s a decrease that suggests tighter spending—or fewer trips—or both.
A quieter line item… but still worth noting.
Fewer Security Personnel Assigned to the OVP
Another detail in the audit: the number of personnel under the Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group (VPSPG) assigned to the OVP went down in 2024.
According to COA:
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443 personnel in 2023
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433 personnel in 2022
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335 personnel in 2024
That’s a noticeable drop—one more sign of shifting operations and resources inside the office.
The Bottom Line
The OVP is leaning heavily on one key point: COA found no wrongdoing and no loss or wastage of government funds.
But the audit still carried observations—especially around documentation and liquidation—that the office now has to clean up, explain, and fix.
Because in government, even when there’s no scandal…
unfinished paperwork can still become a serious story.
