The Department of Education (DepEd) in Western Visayas had the highest unremitted amount to the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) among the agency’s regional offices.
Based the Commission on Audit’s (COA) 2022 report, DepEd-6 failed to remit P2.199 billion worth of GSIS premium contributions.
The amount, which was deducted from the salaries of teaching and non-teaching personnel in the region, accounted for almost half of the agency’s total unremitted GSIS dues.
Region 9 incurred P580.8 million worth of unremitted GSIS dues, followed by Region 5 with P508 million, Region 4-A with P200.56 million and Region 3 with P435 million.
“It is vital for agencies to withhold and remit all monthly premium contributions within the prescribed period in order for members to enjoy and access all privileges and benefits that are due to them,” COA said.
“Thus, the failure by the DepEd Offices to remit the premium contributions deprived their employees of the opportunity to avail of loan privileges, earn yearly dividends and such other benefits offered to all GSIS members thereby causing undue injury to them,” COA added.
In its official statement, DepEd-6 disputed the report, saying that it “did not fail to remit the GSIS contributions of its employees.”
The regional office cited Circular Letter No. 2020-6 issued by the Department of Budget (DBM), which stated that the latter “shall remit directly to the GSIS the Government Share for the period of April-December 2020, and a negative General Allotment Release Order (GARO) shall be issued to withdraw the funds released for the above-mentioned purpose.”
“However, the same was recorded as Due to GSIS (GSIS Payable), causing the overstatement of the above-mentioned account to P2.199 billion. As a result, it shows that DepEd Region VI failed to remit the GSIS Contribution of its employees,” DepEd-6 said.
“To address this concern, a corresponding Journal Entry Voucher (JEV) has been made in the Office’s Books of Accounts effective CY 2023 to reflect the said adjustment, thus reducing the amount to P306 Million,” it added.IMT
Photo by PNA
