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Why is PS-DBM selling medical supplies?: Senate President Vicente Sotto III seeks clarification from Commission on Audit (COA) chairperson Michael Aguinaldo during the inquiry on the utilization of the Department of Health (DOH) budget, particularly on its expenditures for the Covid-19 program, why DOH regional and district hospitals had to purchase medical supplies such as face masks, face shields and personal protective equipment (PPEs) from the PS-DBM. Sotto pointed out that the DOH had transferred P42 billion to the PS-DBM for the procurement of medical supplies. Aguinaldo said that aside from the medical supplies PS-DBM procured for the DOH, the agency had also purchased its own supplies to be sold to other agencies. “I have a hard time understanding why regional hospitals have to buy from the PS-DBM when it’s the money of the DOH. It should be given for free. Does PS-DBM have its own store? We should pass a legislation to fix this,” Sotto said Tuesday, September 7, 2021. (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)