Senators will not be deterred by President Duterte's statements that they should not be investigating ongoing programs of government. Senate President Vicente Sotto III bangs the gavel signifying the start of the plenary session on November 24, 2020.(Henzberg Austria/Senate PRIB) "The Senate is...
Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Thursday, September 2, that he is willing to reach out to President Duterte about the latter's displeasure on the upper chamber's investigation on the Department of Health's (DOH) disbursement of COVID-19 funds. Senate President Vicente 'Tito' Sotto III...
Senator Leila de Lima has urged the Senate to look into the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) inability to properly disburse the funds allocated to it under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2, as well as other delays in the implementation of its major projects. De Lima, in...
Government agencies should not be afraid of being called out by the Commission on Audit (COA) if they did nothing wrong or had no intention of doing so. Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. presents updates on COVID-19 vaccination program on July 12, 2021. (Screenshot courtesy of RTVM livestream)...
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go may face a Senate ethics committee investigation for his alleged links to former Department of Budget and Management (DBM) undersecretary Christopher Lao who is being tagged to the alleged overpricing of personal protective equipment (PPEs). Senator Richard Gordon,...
A total of 45 Philippine Science High School (PSHS) scholars who reneged on their contractual obligation to take up college courses related to science and technology face legal action if they will not return to government the monetary value of their scholarship award totaling over P4.93 million....
Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Sunday said the Senate blue ribbon committee will dig deep on the issue of who was former Budget Undersecretary Christopher Lao’s influential backer who enabled him to get into the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and later on, enter into...
Following audit reports that billions of pesos in public funds were unspent, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said government departments and agencies should not ask for budgets they cannot utilize and instead make sure that essential programs get priority funding. Senate President Vicente 'Tito'...
The Department of Budget and Management's Procurement Service (DBM-PS) is an organization independent from the agency proper. President Rodrigo Duterte Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado shake hands following the latter's oath-taking ceremony in Malacañang on August 5, 2019. (Malacañang) This was...
Recalling her father's tenure as vice president of the Philippines, Senator Nancy Binay said on Friday, August 27, that President Duterte would not need to scrutinize the reports of the Commission on Audit (COA) if he gets elected to the post next year. Senator Nancy Binay (Sen. Nancy...
The Lower House's deliberations on the 2022 national budget won’t be delayed by the adverse findings of the Commission on Audit (COA) against various government agencies, the chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations assured on Wednesday, August 25. Committee Chairman and ACT-CIS...
Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto has urged the Commission on Audit (COA) to go on a "hiring binge" so it could further fulfill its constitutional mandate of checking government expenditures. Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto (Senate PRIB) The COA has 14,102 authorized staff positions...
