The Department of Education (DepEd) announced that consolidated reports from the central office, regional offices, foreign-assisted projects and attached agencies reflect that only about P467 million or just 29 percent of the P1.6B remains unliquidated as of Friday, August 20, 2010.

After the department has been notified on this matter by the Office of the Ombudsman, Education Secretary Armin Luistro — through the Offices of Undersecretary for Legal Affairs and Legislative Liaison Atty. Albert Muyot and Undersecretary for Finance and Administration Francis Varela — has directed all responsible personnel to provide him the details on the status of liquidation and use of the cash advances.

According to Luistro, as a general policy, all expenses should be liquidated at the time required by accounting and auditing rules. “I already instructed responsible officials and employees to submit a status of their liquidation.”

Luistro assured that a response to the letter of Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez will be sent before week’s ends. Gutierrez gave DepEd 10 days to respond. The letter was received August 5.