Professional Documents
Culture Documents
In cases of loss of accountable forms in the custody of collecting and property officers, including
unissued treasury warrants or checks, it shall immediately be reported by the accountable
officers concerned to their respective chiefs of offices or heads of government entities who, in
turn, will at once issue a circular or notice of such loss for the information
and guidance of all collecting and disbursing officers, provincial, city and municipal treasurers,
bureau, provincial city and city auditors and other concerned in
preventing against the possible fraudulent use of such accountable forms. (COA Cir. 84-233
dated Aug. 21, 1984)
Request for relief from accountability for losses of government property shall be made in the form
of a letter, through the chief of office, addressed to the Auditor. The letter shall contain a
statement of the circumstances relating to the loss, the book value, property number and any
additional information necessary for an intelligent decision in the claim for relief. The request
shall be accompanied by sufficient evidence to prove the validity of the claim. This includes the
affidavit of the officer signing the request, containing a statement of the facts and circumstances
surrounding the loss, in addition to a list and description of the articles lost. The affidavits of the
at least two disinterested persons cognizant of the facts and circumstances surrounding the case
shall also be submitted. If only one or no other person is cognizant of the facts and circumstances
about the loss, such conditions shall be stated fully in the affidavit of the person seeking relief,
giving reasons therefore. Immediate report to the law enforcing agency for investigation must be
made.
RELIEF FROM ACCOUNTABILITY
Rule IV, Section 5 of the RRPC. Relief from Accountability - The auditor shall act
on requests for relief from accountability for losses due to fortuitous events or
natural calamities, or due to acts of man, i.e. theft, robbery, arson, etc. involving
amounts not exceeding one hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00). The action of
the auditor shall be deemed an audit decision.
Rule V Section 8. Relief from Accountability - The Director shall have original
jurisdiction over requests for relief from accountability for losses due to fortuitous
events or natural calamities involving amounts in excess of one hundred thousand
pesos (P100,000.00) and for losses due to acts of man; i.e., theft, robbery, arson,
etc. involving amounts exceeding one hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) but
not more than five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00).
RELIEF FROM ACCOUNTABILITY
Rule VIII Sec 1. Original Jurisdiction - The Commission Proper shall have
original jurisdiction over: a) money claim against the Government; b)
request for concurrence in the hiring of legal retainers by government
agency; c) write off of unliquidated cash advances and dormant accounts
receivable in amounts exceeding one million pesos (P1,000,000.00);
d)request for relief from accountability for loses due to acts of man, i.e.
theft, robbery, arson, etc, in amounts in excess of Five Million pesos
(P5,o00,000.00).
RELIEF FROM ACCOUNTABILITY
THEFT OR ROBBERY/HOLD-UP:
1. Progress and/or Final Police report on the theft or robbery case.
1.1 In cases of theft or robbery including with force upon things
(destruction of padlocks, doors, window jalousies, etc.),
information as to whether or not the premises of the government
Agency or office concerned are manned by security guards. If so,
the respective Sworn Statements or Affidavits of the guards
respecting the incident should be obtained and submitted.
1.2 A certified copy of the contract of security/services entered into by
and between the government office and the security agency
should also be submitted.
RELIEF FROM ACCOUNTABILITY
Reguest Denied
DECISION NO. 2016-024 dated March 16, 2016
As to the request for relief from accountability for the disallowances,
Section 73 of Presidential Decree (PD) No. 1445 provides the criteria and
conditions for relief from accountability, while COA Memorandum No. 92-
751 dated February 24, 1992 prescribes the documentation thereof. The
former is explicit that relief from accountability may be availed of when a
loss of government funds or property occurs while in transit or the loss is
caused by fire, theft, or other casualty or force majeure. The instant case
does not come within the purview of the said law.
RELIEF FROM ACCOUNTABILITY
Decisions denying the request for write-off may be appealed within 15 working
days from receipt of the decision to:
1. The CP, for the decisions of the AC concerned;
2. The AC concerned, for the decisions of the Cluster and Regional Directors;
3. The Cluster or Regional Directors, for the decisions of the ATL and SA;
Filing fee shall be imposed only on appeals before the CP at a rate prescribed under
COA Resolution No. 2013-016 dated August 23, 2013.
WRITE-OFF OF ACCOUNTS
COA Circular No. 2016-005 dated December 19, 2016 Guidelines and Procedures on the
write-off of Dormant Receivable Accounts, Unliquidated Cash Advances and Fund Transfers
of NGAs, LGUs and GOCCs
LEGAL BASIS
The Commission shall have exclusive authority, subject to the limitations in this Article, to
define the scope of its audit and examination, establish the techniques and methods
required therefor, and promulgate accounting and auditing rules and regulations, including
those for the prevention and disallowance of irregular, unnecessary, excessive, extravagant,
or unconscionable expenditures, or uses of government funds and properties [Section 2 (2),
Article IX-D, 1987 Philippine Constitution]. The Government Accountancy Sector (GAS) of
this Commission is mandated to formulate/ recommend policies, rules and regulations on
government accounting for consideration of the Public Sector Accounting Standards Board
(PSAcSB)/Chairman/Commission Proper (CP).
WRITE-OFF OF ACCOUNTS
The GAS is also mandated to provide technical assistance to entities' finance officials, accountants,
and auditors on matters pertaining to accounting and financial management (COA Resolution No.
2013-021 dated November 20, 2013). The Government Accountancy Sector (GAS) of this Commission
is mandated to formulate/ recommend policies, rules and regulations on government accounting for
consideration of the Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (PSAcSB)/Chairman/Commission
Proper (CP). The GAS is also mandated to provide technical assistance to entities' finance officials,
accountants, and auditors on matters pertaining to accounting and financial management (COA
Resolution No. 2013-021 dated November 20, 2013).
COVERAGE
This Circular covers dormant receivables arising from regular trade and business transactions,
claims from entities' officers and employees and other dormant receivable accounts; dormant
unliquidated cash advances for operating expenses, payroll, special purpose/time-bound activities or
undertakings and travel as well as advances granted to Civil Society Organizations
(CSOs)/NGOs/POs; and dormant unliquidated fund transfers to/from NGAs, LGUs, and GOCCs.
WRITE-OFF OF ACCOUNTS
Specifically, the following are the accounts used relative to receivables, cash advances and fund
transfers as defined/described in the revise of accounts:
Accounts Receivable
Due from Officers and Employees
Other Receivables
Advances for Operating Expenses
Advances for Payroll
Advances to Special Disbursing Officer
Advances to Officers and Employees
Due from National Government Agencies
Due from Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations
WRITE-OFF OF ACCOUNTS
Due from Local Government Units
Due from Non-Government Organizations/People's Organizations
Due from Central Office
Due from Bureaus
Due from Regional Offices
Due from Operating Units
Due from Other Funds
Due to National Government Agencies
Due to Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations
Due to Local Government Units
Due to Central Office
WRITE-OFF OF ACCOUNTS
Due to Bureaus Due to Regional Offices
Due to Operating Units
Due to Other Funds
This Circular shall not cover the write-off of loans and advances of Government Financial
Institutions which are governed by pertinent provisions of the General Banking Act.
Adjustments made pursuant to 2 and 3 need not be submitted to the COA for approval but are
subject to the usual audit. However, the accountant or the auditor may seek assistance from the
GAS for proper accounting treatment: and
WRITE-OFF OF ACCOUNTS
Prepare aging of dormant receivables, unliquidated cash advances. and fund transfers
on a quarterly basis (Annexes 1-3) to support the request for write-off, and indicate
in the remarks column the existence of the applicable conditions, as follows:
8.4 The ATL and SA, upon receipt of the request, shall assign reference number, verify and
validate the above documents and on the requests for authority to write off for amounts not
exceeding P100,000.00 per accountable officer/debtor/government entity and by account
with in 15 working days from receipt thereof;
WRITE-OFF OF ACCOUNTS
8.5. In case the basis for denial of the request for write-off by the A TL and SA is failure to
comply with the conditions and requirements under paragraphs 7.4 and 8.3, the
aggrieved party may refile the request for write-off before the ATL and SA provided that
the basis for denial has been satisfactorily complied with/met. The A TL and SA shall
decide on the request within 15 working days from receipt thereof;
8.6 The aggrieved party may appeal from the decision of the ATL and SA to the COA
Cluster Director (CD)/Regional Director (RD) who has jurisdiction over the
government entity under audit within 15 working days from receipt of the decision.
The CD/RD shall decide on the appeal within 15 working days from receipt thereof.
The decision of the CD/RD on appealed request is final and non-appealable;
8.7 For amounts exceeding P100,000.00 per accountable officer/debtor/government
entity and by account, the ATL and SA shall forward the entire records of the
requests to the CD/RD, together with their comments and recommendations, within
15 working days from receipt thereof;
8.8 The CD/RD shall review the entire records of the requests and shall decide on amounts
involving more than PI00,000.00 but not exceeding P1,000,000.00 per accountable
WRITE-OFF OF ACCOUNTS
8.9 ln case the basis for denial of the request for write-off by the CD/RD is failure to comply with
the conditions and requirements under paragraphs 7.4 and 8.3, the aggrieved party may refile
the request for write-off before the CD/RD provided that the basis for denial has been
satisfactorily complied with/met;
8.10 The aggrieved party may appeal from the decision of the CD/RD to the Assistant
Commissioner (AC) concerned within 15 working days from receipt of the decision. The AC
shall decide on the appeal within 15 working days from receipt thereof. The decision of the AC
on appealed request is final and non-appealable;
8.11 For amounts exceeding P1,000,000.00 per accountable officer/debtor/ government entity and
by account, the CD/RD shall forwardr the entire records of the requests together with his/her
recommendation to the AC of the Sector within 15 working days from receipt thereof;
WRITE-OFF OF ACCOUNTS
8.12 The AC of the Sector shall review the entire records of the requests and shall decide on
amounts exceeding Pl ,000,000.00 per accountable officer/debtor/ government entity and by
account within 15 working days from receipt thereof:
8.13 In case the basis for denial of the request for write-off by the AC of the Sector is failure to
comply with the conditions and requirements under paragraphs 7.4 and 8.3, the aggrieved
party may refile the request for write-off before the AC of the Sector provided that the basis
for denial has been satisfactorily complied with/met; and
8.14 The aggrieved party may appeal from the decision of the AC of the Sector to the CP within 15
working days from receipt of the decision. Filing fee is required at a rate prescribed in the
2009 RRPC. The decision of the CP is final and non-appealable.
WRITE-OFF OF ACCOUNTS
8.15 The Accountant shall:
a. Prepare the JEV within 15 working days upon receipt of the decision granting the authority
to write-off, for approval of the Head of the government entity, effect the adjusting
entries in the books, and enter the gross amount of the receivables in the RAWO. A
sample form WO is attached as Annex 4 (Appendix 56, Vol. II, GAM);
b. Submit the JEV to the COA ATL;
c. Maintain a RAWO to record the accounts written-off and keep a copy of the approved
request for write-off including the records and documents pertaining thereto: and
d. At the end of the year, foot entries in the RA WO and make the appropriate disclosures in
the Notes to FS.
WRITE-OFF OF ACCOUNTS