ADVERTISEMENT
970x220

De Lima deplores deficiencies in gov't management of COVID-19 response funds

Published Aug 13, 2021 02:41 pm

Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima on Friday, August 13 slammed anew the Duterte administration’s incompetency following its reported mismanagement of the COVID-19 response funds, which contributed to the challenges that the country faced amid the global health crisis.

De Lima issued the statement after the Commission on Audit’s (COA) annual audit report in 2020 revealed that the Department of Health (DOH) did not comply with existing laws and regulations in managing its P67.32 billion funds to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

COA’s annual audit report for DOH in 2020 said it found deficiencies on how the department managed its P67.32-billion fund to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that it contributed to challenges and “missed opportunities” that could have helped the country in managing the pandemic. COA noted that said deficiencies are caused by DOH’s non-compliance with pertinent laws and regulations.

According to government auditors, these issues cast doubt on the regularity of transactions, while keeping much-needed funds at bay and unspent.

The lady senator from Bicol said there could be no other image that could best represent the government’s sheer incompetence than the billions in pesos in public funds that were left idle in the coffers while millions of families continue to fight to survive.

“The latest COA findings reveal that the lackluster performance of this government in its pandemic response is to blame for the challenges we encountered,” she said.

‘’Just when we thought that the ₱15B PhilHealth scandal could not get any worse. Are we even surprised at this point?" she asked.

Undoubtedly, De Lima said Duterte’s governance is the complete opposite of the clean and efficient government that he himself had promised back in 2016, stressing that “violence, corruption and incompetence are set to be the enduring legacy of Duterte rule.”

ADVERTISEMENT
300x250

Sign up by email to receive news.