Two senators are seeking further probe into the status of the government’s school-based Barangay Health Stations (BHS) project, which was stalled due to an ongoing litigation.

Senator Nancy Binay raised the issue during the Senate Committee on Health and Demography’s virtual hearing on the various proposals seeking to increase and strengthen investments in the infrastructure of healthcare facilities across the country.

Binay pointed out the government has already spent for the construction of these BHS but until now, these structures are left unutilized even if some of them are already functional.

Health Undersecretary Lilibeth David said that while some of the structures are ready for use, the agency could not proceed because the project is still under litigation.

“They are still under litigation, so that’s why we can’t pursue it yet. We already have made advance payments, but because it’s under litigation, we cannot make any further payments to them,” David told senators when asked about the status of the project last Thursday, April 29.

“But only a few of them are functional,” David clarified.

However, Binay said she believes utilizing these BHS can come in handy especially at a time the government is short on infrastructures that can accommodate COVID-19 related issues and increase local communities’ access to primary health care.

“Maybe it is meant for another (Senate) resolution. Because imagine, we’ve spent for this (project) and we really need additional health facilities, even if these are only in the barangays,” Binay said.

“We are looking for vaccination centers and if some of these structures can already be used then why not use them? Sayang di ba (Isn’t it a waste)? ” she further, pointed out.

Sen. Pia Cayetano, vice chair of the Senate health panel, agreed with BInay and called on the Department of Health (DOH) to provide the committee more data, while prodding Binay to start drafting a separate resolution calling for a probe on the status of the BHS project.

“Kindly consider that request for the data...and if you plan to file a resolution, go ahead Sen. Nancy, I’m with you on that idea as you said these are already existing,” Cayetano pointed out.

“Because even if they are only a few and usable, what if half of it is 50 percent done already? So we want to know,” she further said.

In 2018, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III had ordered a probe on the BHS project after uncovering alleged “billions worth of irregularities” in the venture, which was implemented by then Health Secretary and now Iloilo Representative Janette Garin.

The goal of the project was to establish 5,700 rural health units to ensure local communities have access to primary health care.

According to Duque, P8.1-billion was earmarked for the BHS project but there were no validated sites before construction started in 2016. Accordingly, the DOH reportedly paid P1.2-billion to the project’s contractor J-Bros Construction Corp. for mobilization and advance payment.