Senator Christopher “Bong” Go said the Commission on Audit (COA) should exercise its mandate and audit the public funds used for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.
Go made the call in light of issues on vaccine wastage, saying COA should conduct a thorough audit and compel agencies involved in submitting the required reports.
Department of Health (DOH) officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier refuted the position of her predecessor by saying that documents pertaining to the government’s multi-billion peso COVID-19 vaccine purchases can be handed to state auditors.
Vergeire pointed out that non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) signed by the DOH with vaccine manufacturers includes exemptions especially if it is required by law or if it is required for auditing processes or investigation.
“Sa ngayon, gawin ng COA ang kanyang mandato to conduct a thorough audit and compel the agencies involved na magsubmit po ng mga required reports,” said Go during a recent interview in Biñan City, Laguna.
“Ako naman po, I am for transparency. Ano po ang katotohanan, ano bang nangyari, bakit nag-expire po ito? Napalitan na ba ito ng mga bagong bakuna (As for me, I am for transparency. What is the truth, what happened, why did it expire? Has it been replaced with new vaccines)?” said Go.
“Sinabi nila, ng DOH, na papalitan raw po ito ng mga bagong bakuna mula sa COVAX. Napalitan na ba ito? Bakit nag-expire? Bakit nasayang? (The DOH said it will replace it with new vaccines from COVAX. Has it been replaced? Why did it expire? Why was it wasted)? I am for transparency,” he added.
The Senate Committee on Health and Demography said it is important for the people to know where their money went.
“Pera po ito ng gobyerno, bawat piso, bawat sentimo po ay napakahalaga po na malaman ng taumbayan ang katotohanan (This is government money, every peso, every cent is very important for the people to know the truth),” he said.
The DOH has stated it will be proactive in ensuring that government funds used to procure COVID-19 vaccines are utilized properly after the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) called for a special audit of the vaccine loans they have awarded to the Philippine government. The DOH has also requested for the same audit from COA.
The agency is now in the middle of procurement talks with vaccine makers Moderna and Pfizer for bivalent vaccines. According to health officials, bivalent vaccines would be accessible in the country by the end of the year or in the first quarter of 2023.