19.12 Regarding the engagement of a Transportation and Traffic Management
Consultant, Management explained that it was necessary to address the urgent
and specialized needs of the City, particularly concerning the recently concluded
Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) sporting event hosted
by the City Government. Management added that while the CTTMO handles
daily traffic operations, it currently lacks the technical expertise for
comprehensive traffic planning and management system design. The Consultant
provided critical input for the Local Public Transport Route Plan, which required
specialized knowledge in transport planning that has not yet fully developed
within Management’s current staff.
19.13 Management assured the audit team that the amount spent for the consultancy
services was a prudent investment and, based on Management's assessment,
prevented more costly future expenditures because rather than permanently
expanding the City’s workforce, these time-limited consultancies allowed
Management to access specialized expertise when needed.
19.14 However, Management informed the audit team that the consultant for
Transportation and Traffic Management had already verbally expressed his
desire to cease his services in December 2024. He is already confident that the
office is now well-equipped to discharge its functions and take the office to
greater heights. Thus, in CY 2025, he is no longer connected with the City
Government of Bayawan.
19.15 While the audit team acknowledges Management's initiative to address the gaps
identified in its LDRRM and CTTM offices and its evaluation of the necessity
to hire consultancy services, emphasizing that these are time-bound and will
therefore prevent additional costs in the future, the audit team would like to
highlight that the hiring of these consultants was already raised during the audit
of the CY 2022 transactions and operations.
19.16 The audit team recognizes the need to address the knowledge and skill gaps in
the mentioned offices. However, since the hiring of these consultants was
previously discussed during last year’s audit, it is time for Management to re-
evaluate the appropriate actions to address the root cause of engaging such
services. For example, it could train its existing personnel to provide permanent
solutions rather than temporary ones.
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