Photo Release

Another Finance Committee meeting on DOH disbursement: Sen. Francis Pangilinan, during Wednesday’s hybrid plenary session December 1, 2021, reminds Sen. Sonny Angara, chairman of the Finance Committee defending the proposed 2022 national budget, that he had requested the presence of Health Sec. Francisco Duque III of the Department of Health (DOH) and the officer-in-charge of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Undersecretary Tina Canda before the plenary votes on the General Appropriations Bill. “We do not wish to delay the passage of this urgent piece of legislation, our budget, but may we request, perhaps if Sen. Angara is willing, that after the completion of the bicam meetings and that his work in the budget has been completed, perhaps a separate, maybe just a one day hearing of the Finance Committee can be conducted. So that we can clarify a number of issues that were raised in another letter that was sent to us on the matter of DOH disbursements, of the support for our frontliners?” Pangilinan said. Angara said he is willing to conduct another hearing with the permission of the Committee on Health. (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)