4/7/2026
Public Funds Misused?
The CAMSUR KAOGMA FOUNDATION Case
In 2009, during my term as a Provincial Board Member, I filed a formal complaint before the Ombudsman to expose the questionable transfer of ₱18,932,966.00 in provincial funds to CAMSUR KAOGMA FOUNDATION, INC.
The Commission on Audit (COA) flagged these transactions as disallowed, citing serious concerns over the use of public funds allegedly intended for Kaogma Festival activities. The expenditures lacked sufficient documentation and accountability.
More troubling was the clear conflict of interest: the very same officials managing the Provincial Government were also the incorporators and trustees of the foundation receiving the funds—effectively approving disbursements to an organization they themselves controlled.
Further compounding the issue, the foundation failed to submit required financial reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from 2006 to 2008, as confirmed by the SEC itself. This absence of transparency raises even more serious questions about how public money was handled.
This case stands as a stark example of poor governance, lack of transparency, and breach of public trust.
The people of Camarines Sur deserve accountability.
Public funds must always be used responsibly—and fully accounted for.
CARLO BATALLA, Ph.D.
