Photo Release

Sotto scrutinizes DOH budget: Senate President Vicente Sotto III scrutinizes the budget of the Department of Health (DOH) and its attached agencies during the continuation of the marathon session on the proposed 2022 national budget Wednesday, November 17, 2021. Sotto asked Sen. Pia Cayetano, vice chairperson of the Committee on Finance, how the allocation for Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) will be spent next year. “The Commission on Audit (COA) is always finding irregularities in the implementation of this program and we have been raising concern on this every time this Chamber is deliberating on (their) budget. How can we be sure that the P19 billion allocation for HFEP will be spent effectively and efficiently and that it will ultimately benefit our Filipino family?” Sotto asked. Cayetano told Sotto that DOH intends to set up barangay stations, rural health units, polyclinics, local government unit (LGU) hospitals, DOH hospitals and other kinds of health care facilities as well as the quarantine facilities and mega health centers. Sotto also asked clarification on a COA report regarding the 2020 DOH unobligated allotment amounting to P24 billion, which he said, is a disservice to the people. Cayateno said the DOH had submitted its explanation to COA but has yet to receive an answer. (Senate PRIB Photos)