Changes in the Philippine Sports Commission’s payroll and administration system are in the works.
And these had led to delays in the release in the allowances of national athletes and coaches.
Executive director Guillermo Iroy Jr. said they are now coordinating with their depository bank, Land Bank in an effort to get things done quickly.
Iroy talked of the changes following a board meeting last Friday, and as they impose strict measures in financial structure involving national athletes and coaches, and their employees.
“We shifted systems, in coordination with our depository bank. It was one of the ways we saw to tighten up our process in connection with the payroll of employees and national team members,” said Iroy.
The changes are being done after an employee identified as Paul Michael Padua Ignacio was arrested last month by the National Bureau of Investigation for his involvement in a payroll-padding scheme amounting to P14-million.
De Guzman is attached to the personnel department of the PSC and allegedly authored the transfer of P14 million in financial assistance meant for national coaches and athletes over the past five years.
“We had to go through the details one by one to check,” added Iroy.
Board members of the PSC, led by Chairman William Ramirez, informed Senator Bong Go of the delay.
In a statement, the board said the overhaul has “affected all employees and members of the national team.”
“This was a painful but necessary action to ensure that no underhanded schemes are never done in this service aspect again,” explained the board.
The incident, according to Ramirez, was a wakeup call to them.
“In the wake of that sad discovery of a payroll padding scam by an employee, our agency while rocked to its core was also roused to further strengthen our processes at all fronts,” added members of the board.
The board added they are moving to fast track the changes they are implementing, and allowances can be made available within the week.
“We have finalized the necessary requirements for the effect of this batch’s posting under the new system,” said the board.
