BY WENDELL VIGILIA and GERARD NAVAL
THE Commission on Audit (COA) is set to brief lawmakers today on its 2020 audit report that flagged the Department of Health (DOH) for its alleged mishandling of a P67-billion budget for the COVID-19 pandemic response last year.
Among those invited are Health Secretary Francis Duque III who is being asked to resigned by several sectors for alleged inefficiencies and blunders in his department.
Tomorrow, the Senate Blue Ribbon is expected to tackle COA’s findings. Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon said the panel will look into the Duque’s possible liabilities. The Senate last year passed a resolution calling for Duque’s resignation for his “failure of leadership, negligence and inefficiency in performance.”
Health Undersecretary Leopoldo Vega, in a briefing yesterday, said the department will resolve all issues raised by COA ahead of the 60-day deadline it has been given.
“As these findings are not yet final, we were given a period of 60 days to respond and provide updates on compliance with the recommendations by COA. But we will submit even before the deadline,” he said Vega.
The DOH, in a statement, said its central office is closely coordinating with all operating units composed of 65 DOH hospitals, 16 Centers for Health Development, and 12 treatment and rehabilitation centers, two bureaus (Food and Drug Administration and Bureau of Quarantine), and a laboratory facility, to provide information to the public on the status and actions taken regarding the COA findings.
Speaker Lord Allan Velasco said congressmen want the COA to explain its findings because the funds involved were among those allocated under the Bayanihan laws that Congress passed last year. The briefing would also allow House members to monitor how pandemic funds are being used, and to craft bills if need be, he also said.
COA last week said DOH transactions are undergoing further scrutiny because of doubts on their regularity and propriety but was quick to issue a statement saying that it has yet to issue findings that funds were missing.
The DOH was also found to have failed in spending about P59 billion or 29 percent of its P200.855-billion total budget allotments in 2020, which would have helped improve public health facilities, hospital services, and provide adequate protective gear to healthcare workers in the frontlines.
The unspent sum consists of P24.641 billion in unobligated allotments or money that is not assigned to any specific program, project or activity, and P34.484 billion in unpaid obligations or money that was not paid to suppliers, contractors, or as manpower compensation.
Vega said COA’s findings on fund utilization, recording of donations, grant of meal benefits, and compensation for healthcare workers have been addressed.
On the unobligated allotment of P11.8 billion last year, he said most of the funds remained available for use in 2021, with P5.1 billion of this amount part of the continuing appropriation of Bayanihan Act 2, of which 83 percent or P4.2 billion has been used of June 30, 2021.
Vega said the deficiencies regarding a P1.4-billion in-kind donation, for which hospitals missed the submission of summary reports or lists of donations, have been addressed, as concerned offices and facilities have provided COA with the required listings and reports.
The COA findings on unauthorized grant of meal allowances have also been settled, according to Vega, as he said the DOH sought approval of the Office of the President to provide the meal benefits through other forms, apart from packed meals.
On the P4.8-million unpaid financial assistance to healthcare workers, Vega said this was already duly paid by concerned regional offices, although some required documents have not been submitted.
On the COA-flagged P74 million worth of unutilized medical equipment and supplies, the DOH said most of the “unutilized” medical equipment and supplies are being used based, on the report of DOH hospitals.
Members of the Left-leaning Makabayan Bloc at the House filed a resolution seeking an investigation into the “grave inefficiency, gross incompetence and criminal negligence” of the DOH in managing pandemic funds.
“Amid this COVID-19 pandemic, the government, especially the DOH, are expected to efficiently allocate and use the limited resources in the pursuit of ending the health crisis,” the militant lawmakers said in House Resolution No. 2129.
Drilon said Duque is not yet off the hook despite COA’s statement that its findings are not conclusive of corruption.
“The COA findings clearly show the dismal inefficiencies and lack of sense of urgency demonstrating poor management and leadership,” Drilon said.
However, Drilon said there is nothing that can compel President Duterte to dismiss Duque amid the COA findings.
“These are decisions that a political leader would have to answer when election time comes. But you cannot compel the President to dismiss a cabinet member, notwithstanding the call of everyone, because that is the nature of our system,” Drilon said. — With Raymond Africa
