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Here’s what you need to know on Wednesday, July 26.
COA flags Cebu City’s ‘excessive’ cash advances for foreign travel
The Commission on Audit finds as ‘excessive’
The Commission on Audit has flagged several lapses in the cash advances of the Cebu City government. This is for the foreign travel to Canada in 2022, which amounted to 1.992 million pesos.
The state auditor is also set to issue a notice of disallowance.
The COA, in its 2022 annual audit report, noted that the foreign travel to Canada of four city personnel, including Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, last August 2022, with a total cash advance of 1,992,000 pesos, “contravenes several provisions of Executive Order No. 77.” This resulted to irregular disbursement of public funds.
The COA said that except for the City Mayor, the three other city personnel who traveled with him lacked travel authority from the DILG Secretary; thus, payment of their travel cash advances was not approved in the first place.
Police ask help from public to identify man with possible information about Reah Mae Tocmo’s death
The police in Cebu City are asking the public to help them identify the man whose picture they released to the media on Tuesday, July 25.
The police believe that the man holds crucial information about the brutal murder of 19-year-old Reah Mae Tocmo whose body was found stuffed inside a carton box on July 17.
They, however, do not consider the man as a suspect in the case.
Philippines beats New Zealand in historic Women’s World Cup first win
The Philippines claimed a historic first World Cup win on Tuesday as it stunned co-host New Zealand, 1-nil, thanks to a first-half Sarina Bolden header.
New Zealand created a string of second-half chances and had a goal disallowed, but the Philippines held on for a famous win in front of 32,357 fans in Wellington, New Zealand.
It was the Philippines’ first victory at either a men’s or women’s World Cup and blows Group A wide open.
Pura Luka Vega declared ‘persona non grata’ in GenSan after ‘Ama Namin’ drag performance
The General Santos City council has approved a resolution declaring Pura Luka Vega “persona non grata” which, according to the council, was meant to “show the sentiments” of the city’s largely Christian population on the drag queen’s “Ama Namin” performance.
The viral drag performance shows Pura Luka Vega, who goes by the pronoun they or them, dressed up as Jesus Christ and dancing to a remix version of “Ama Namin” in a bar.
The drag performance made headlines earlier this month, receiving backlash from various sectors including the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.
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