COA to brief House on DOH spending deficiencies

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Audit is set to brief members of the House of Representatives on the “deficiencies” it discovered in the management of some P67.32 billion in COVID-19 funds allocated to the Department of Health in 2020.

The briefing is set to be hosted by the House Committee on Public Accounts "anytime this week," House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, who requested the briefing, said in a statement Sunday. Health department officials will also be invited to the briefing.

This comes after the commission flagged a number of departments for deficiencies, underspending, and other forms of mismanaged funds connected to the administration's pandemic response. 

Besides the DOH, the COA also flagged spending concerns at the Department of Transportation, Department of Social Welfare and Development and Department of Labor and Employment. Only the DOH was mentioned in Velasco's statement. 

READ: Robredo laments low use of funds meant to subsidize public transportation

“We want to get the facts straight from COA and we are particularly concerned because the funds involved were among those allocated under the Bayanihan laws that Congress passed last year,” Velasco said.

“The overall objective is to ensure that the billions of pesos Congress had dedicated to COVID-19 response—and any additional funds it provides in future legislation—are spent wisely and effectively."

Velasco said the House leadership "would like to hear first the explanation of the DOH on the audit observations made by COA before making any conclusion."

President Rodrigo Duterte himself later ordered the DOH to explain the deficiencies outlined, and the health department has since said  that the amount flagged is already fully accounted for.

To recall, the COA in its 2020 report flagged what it said was various "deficiencies" in the DOH’s management of pandemic funds worth P67.3 billion, adding that some P66.3 billion was attributed to non-compliance with laws and regulations.

“The briefing would also serve as a venue for the DOH to explain and account for the pandemic funds mentioned in the COA report,” he said, adding that it would allow House members to monitor the use of pandemic funds and develop corresponding legislation.

— with a report from Xave Gregorio