The Commission on Audit (COA) on Wednesday, August 11, flagged the Department of Health (DOH) for over P67 billion Covid-19 funds ‘deficiencies,’ causing an uproar from celebrities and personalities.
“Various deficiencies involving some P67,323,186,570.57 worth of public funds and intended for national efforts of combating the unprecedented scale of the COVID-19 crisis were noted,” declared COA in its 2020 report.
Actress-singer Zsa Zsa Padillagot got upset by the recent finding of COA, expressing her concern for the Philippines being taken advantage of by corrupt government officials.
Paano na, Pilipinas? Garapalan na Lang ba sa Pandemya? 🙁 https://t.co/GLYsM5j8ci
— zsa zsa padilla (@zsazsapadilla) August 11, 2021
TV personality Justin Dizon got shocked by the missing P67 billion.
He then threw some shades at politicians who were using COVID-19 as a means to fuel their election campaigns.
Nasan ang 67 BILLION PESOS?
Hmmm…nako sobrang mahal pa man ng kampanya sa elections. https://t.co/F4V3y4UKuT
— Justin Dizon (@iamjustindizon) August 11, 2021
Another TV personality, Kiko Rustia noted that Filipinos should not be surprised anymore.
It can be recalled that back in 2020, PhilHealth also faced a similar issue after whistleblower Thorrsson Montes Keith claimed that the whole Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s executive committee has stolen some P15 billion from the agency using different fraudulent schemes.
Nagtataka pa ba tayo? https://t.co/YyLOtMa3SJ
— kiko rustia (@kikorustia) August 11, 2021
Filmmaker Antoinette Jadaone could only curse as a large sum of public funds dedicated to fighting COVID-19 went missing.
She then questioned these government officials where they get such audacity to steal from the people amid the pandemic.
TANGINA 67.323 BILLION. Saan n’yo nakukuha kapal ng mukha n’yo sa panahon pa ng pandemya!!!!!!
PLEASE REGISTER TO VOTE!!!!!!! https://t.co/iVMblEfKst
— Toñet (@tonetjadaone) August 11, 2021
Former PBB housemate-host-turned actor Richard Juan got enraged by yet another missing public fund as he stressed that “lives are at stake here” due to the pandemic.
15 Billion from Philhealth, and now 67 Billion from Department of Health?!?!?!
FFS, LIVES ARE AT STAKE HERE!!! https://t.co/PWSq3HbIkg
— 范鴻志 RICHARD JUAN 홍준 (@richardjuan) August 11, 2021
TV host Kim Atienza and journalist MJ Malfori are in shock by the missing amount.
67 billion. gosh.
— kim atienza (@kuyakim_atienza) August 11, 2021
NAKAKALULA NAMAN ANG AMOUNT NA YAN @DOHgovph https://t.co/FOqZh22hCe
— Mj Marfori (@mjmarfori) August 11, 2021
Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno highlighted the importance of the missing funds as it was supposed to be used to combat Covid-19. He then urged the government agency to be transparent
Human rights lawyer Chel Diokno highlighted the importance of the missing funds as it was supposed to be used to combat COVID-19.
He then urged the government agency to be transparent to restore the lost trust of Filipinos.
in order to restore the lost trust of Filipinos.
Ilang buhay kaya ang naligtas, ilang Pilipino pa kaya ang buhay ngayon kung nagamit nang maayos ang 67B na ito? Lalo ngayong pandemya, we need transparency sa paggamit ng pera ng taumbayan. We call on the DOH to make a full accounting not just to COA but to the public. https://t.co/yEkdYPxXc7
— Chel Diokno (@ChelDiokno) August 11, 2021
Zy-Za Nadine Suzara, the executive director of iLead PH, ridiculed the DOH’s assurance that the Philippines was “doing well” in this pandemic.
In her tweet, Suzara emphasized the irresponsible utilization of the agency’s COVID-19 budget, which the COA noted was beneficial in mitigating the spread of the coronavirus.
https://twitter.com/znsuzara/status/1425368406593708035
Meanwhile, the DOH claimed that the funds flagged by COA were “accounted for.” The funds were to purchase necessary medical supplies and pay healthcare workers, among others.
“The DOH acknowledges the findings concerning these funds, and is currently addressing the said compliance issues and deficiencies,” the DOH explained in a statement.
But journalist Barnaby Lo was appalled by the missing P11 billion in “unobligated funds” when healthcare workers were “practically been begging for their hazard pay and benefits.”
Even if none of the funds were stolen, P11 billion in unobligated funds? While our healthcare workers have practically been begging for their hazard pay and benefits? pic.twitter.com/aiHNG2MGY5
— Barnaby Lo 吳宗鴻 (@barnabychuck) August 11, 2021
The health department then added that it has remained transparent with its spending as it claims that it takes its spending “very seriously.”
“We take our COA findings very seriously and have been working to further improve our processes and controls so that we can serve the public most effectively.”
In 2020, DOH faced several issues for its COVID-19 response. To name a few: the delayed procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE), the lapses leading to more deaths and infected medical frontliners, mishandling the benefits and financial assistance of “fallen,” and infected health workers, and its procurement of test kits.
