Vice President Leni Robredo said Sunday that calls for Health Secretary Francisco Duque III’s resignation wouldn’t amount to anything if the system that causes underspending of budget for COVID-19 response is not changed.
In her weekly radio program, Robredo also emphasized that good governance is of extreme importance especially when lives are at stake, adding that hospitals badly need the funds in the fight against the pandemic.
“Kahit magbitiw, kung hindi mag-improve ang sistema wala rin” (Even if Duque resigns if the system doesn’t improve, it will lead to nothing), said Robredo, when asked for comment on calls for Duque to step down from his post.
Commission on Audit’s (COA) flagging the Department of Health (DOH) over deficiencies in the use of the P67.32-billion COVID-19 response funds rekindled calls for Duque’s resignation.
“Ang importante sa akin iyong moving forward. Ano makaka-improve?” (What’s important is how do we mover forward, how to improve the system), she said.
“Pero sa atin nasa middle ng pandemic, napakahalaga mahalaga yung maayos yung governance kasi kung hindi maayos ang governance, buhay ng tao ang nakataya”(In the middle of the pandemic, a good governance system is of extreme importance as lives are at stake), she added.
Near-expiry medicines
Aside from the budget use issues, COA’s report also found red flags in DOH’s P95.15 million worth of near-expiry medicines, drugs and medical supplies.
With this, Robredo called for a change in the system, adding that poor governance could result in the loss of many lives during the pandemic.
“Madali lang sabihin na papel lang pero ano ang epekto ng poor governance? Matter of life and death ito sa atin,” she said.
(It’s easy to say that these are just documents but how is poor governance affecting our people? It is a matter of life and death.)
“Kapag may hindi naka-inom ng gamot, hindi na-dialysis, walang ospital na nakatanggap kulang ang ventilator mapapatay ang pasyente. So kung hindi natin maayos iyong pera, buhay ng Filipino yung nakataya. So sa akin, kailangan na magbago ito,” she further said.
(If someone can drink their medicine, someone can’t have dialysis, no mechanical ventilator for patients, more people will die. So if we can’t fix the spending of funds, Filipinos’ lives are at stake. So for me, we need to change this.)
While there is no evidence that the funds were stolen, Robredo lamented underspending of budget even as funding is needed by hospitals and other constituents of government agencies.
Duque had already responded to resignation calls, saying that he has good track record as well as trust from President Rodrigo Duterte, who appointed him to the post.
On corruption allegations, Duque has denied the accusations, adding that he has yet to receive a report or proof that there are anomalies in the beleaguered agency.
He further pointed out that COA gave them until Sept. 30 to respond to the budget deficiency that mainly centers on documentary requirements especially in the transfer of funds to partner inteties.
Low assistance for PUV drivers
Apart from DOH, state auditors also noticed red flags in the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)’s Service Contracting Program, which funds the public utility vehicle (PUV) driver’s cash aid.
COA said LTFRB spent only 1% of the program’s P5.58-billion funds. This was later on clarified by LTFRB chairperson Martin Delgra III, who said in a government briefing that they already released 26.55% of the program’s funds days before Bayanihan to Recover As One Act or Bayanihan 2’s validity lapsed.
Robredo said she was dismayed over underutilization of the budget, which could have benefitted transport drivers, who were also hardest-hit by the pandemic due to limited deployment of PUVs.
“Iyong more than 73% ng budget ibabalik… P4.1 billion iyong ibabalik. Iyong P4.1 billion, ilang drivers na sana natulungan noon?” said Robredo.
(More than 73% of the budget will be returned, so P4.1 billion will be returned. With that remaining budget, how many drivers could have been assisted?)
She said they are also looking into helping out transport cooperatives, who scramble to find more sources of livelihood amid the reversion on Metro Manila to strictest lockdown classification. —LBG, GMA News
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