House Deputy Speaker Bernadette Herrera-Dy on Sunday said the House will be tougher when they look into next year’s Department of Health budget in the wake of the Commission on Audit’s (COA) report of deficiencies in the DOH’s 2020 COVID-19 fund spending.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) had said it would submit the proposed P5.024-trillion national budget for 2022 on August 23, 2021, which is within the deadline.
“Napakasigurado noon. You have to account for every centavo. Bukod sa 2021 iyong Bayanihan 1, saka Bayanihan 2 so medyo maiging mabusisi tayo sa budget ng DOH,” said Herrera-Dy in a Super Radyo dzBB.
(That is true. Aside from Bayanihan 1, Bayanihan 2 so we need to scrutinize this DOH budget.)
But Herrera-Dy said they are also waiting for DOH to give an explanation to COA over the flagged deficiencies and supposed underspending.
Aside from this, the House leader said Congress would also carefully scrutinize further the budgets for the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Labor and Employment, and Department of Public Works and Highways.
State auditors had found several deficiencies in the DOH utilization of the P67.32 billion COVID-19 funds. The DOH has until September 30, 2021 to respond to these allegations.
Lack of accountability
The COA’s report also flagged the DOH’s P95.15 million worth of near-expired medicines, drugs, and medical supplies, which was exacerbated by a breakdown in the inventory management system.
In a separate interview over Super Radyo dzBB, Senator Imee Marcos, likewise, lamented the lack of accountability on the issue of near-expiry drugs.
Although there is no proof yet that there is corruption in the DOH funds, the senator further pointed out that there is clear “mismanagement” and “inefficiency” in the controversial agency.
“Ang problema diyan wala kasing napaparusahan. Every year, walang palo, no sanctions, so ang ending paulit-ulit. Walang napagbintangan, wala ng accountability. Wala silang pakialam,” she said.
(The problem is no one is being punished. Every year, no one is getting sanctioned so it happens again and again. There is no accountability, no one is getting blamed. They don’t care.)
On Wednesday, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee will launch a motu propio investigation into the COA findings on the DOH. — DVM, GMA News
0 Comments