MANILA City Hall authorities yesterday said the additional monthly financial assistance being given by the city government to the teachers had to be stopped after the Commission on Audit (COA) questioned its legality.

This clarification was issued by Ric de Guzman, chief of staff and media bureau director, who cited a memorandum dated November 21, 2011, questioning the grant of the said allowances to teachers and other national employees stationed in Manila and issued by city auditor Chito Ramirez.

De Guzman stressed though, that the P2,000 regular financial assistance is being given to the teachers on an updated basis and that the only one questioned by the COA is the P500 being given additionally on top of the P2,000.

De Guzman likewise took exception to the reported pronouncements of some teachers that they are demanding for the release of the said assistance which the city government owes them.

“With all due respect, walang utang ang pamahalaang-lungsod ng Maynila sa kanila. Ibinibigay sa kanila ang assistance na ’yan bilang kabutihang-loob lamang ni Mayor Lim. Hindi ito obligasyon sa parte ng lungsod at ito ay ‘subject to availability of funds’ o maaring ibigay kung kaya lamang ng pondo,” he explained.

De Guzman said the situation had been explained repeatedly to the teachers by city hall authorities that included Dr. Ponciano Menguito, division of city schools superintendent.

De Guzman stressed that the grant of such allowances to teachers was also questioned as ‘double compensation,’ since they are already receiving salaries and other benefits from the national government.

It is not only the teachers who were affected by the COA memo but also other national employees such as prosecutors, judges and the police, he said, adding that the same memo had been issued to the Quezon City government and as such, city governments are bound to follow the COA.

“Alangan namang labagin natin ang utos ng COA?  Walang pinagkaiba ang sitwasyon sa araw-araw kang nagbibigay ng pera sa isang nangangailangan dahil gusto mong tumulong at may kaunti kang sobrang pera. Tapos nu’ng itigil mo dahil wala ka nang maibigay, sasabihin sa ’yo ’di puwede dahil obligasyon na ’yun?” he sighed.

De Guzman likewise stressed that each year, the city government suffers a deficit in its effort to sustain social services for its poor residents and that in power consumption alone, it owes Meralco a total of at least P600 million.

The audit observation memorandum issued by city auditor Ramirez said that the COA has found the grant of such financial assistance to national government personnel assigned in Manila as ‘without legal basis’.

The same memo, he said, also cited the Salary Standardization Law which states that “no funds shall be utilized to pay honoraria, allowances or other forms of compensation to any government official or employee, except those specifically authorized by law.”