The Commission on Audit (COA) has called out the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for failing to produce an updated operational plan for the rehabilitation of Manila Bay.
In its 2024 audit report, COA said the existing strategy lacked specific timeframes, hindering compliance with the Supreme Court’s Writ of Continuing Mandamus.
The operational plan for the Manila Bay Coastal Strategy was last updated in 2017 and covered only until 2022.
COA noted that no new plan was formulated after the period lapsed.
The Manila Bay Coordinating Office (MBCO) issued an advisory directing agencies to continue their 2024 activities based on the 2017-2022 plan.
Auditors said this approach was insufficient and attributed delays to a consultant’s failure to complete its assessment.
The DENR contracted the UP Los Baños Foundation to evaluate the 2017-2022 plan, but no final report was submitted as of Dec. 31, 2024.
The MBCO said the absence of feedback on interim reports should not have caused the delay, prompting the contract’s termination.
COA warned that the lack of an updated plan may lead to duplication, service gaps and misaligned programs.
It recommended that the MBCO fast track an updated strategy with clear timelines and performance indicators, a proposal the office agreed to adopt.