De Lima deplores deficiencies in govt's management of COVID response funds

Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has slammed anew the Duterte administration's incompetency following its reported mismanagement of the COVID-19 response funds, which contributed to the challenges that the country faced amid the global health crisis.

De Lima made the statement after the Commission on Audit's (COA) annual audit report in 2020 revealed that the Department of Health (DOH) did not comply with existing laws and regulations in managing its P67.32 billion funds to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Imbes na pagmomodel ni Yorme ang pagtuunan ng pansin, ang tamang paggamit ng pondo laban sa COVID sana ang inatupag ni Duterte. Pero hindi, mas inuna pa talaga niya ang paninira sa mga kritiko o kalaban sa pulitika kaysa ayusin ang pagpapatupad ng mga programa at paggamit ng pondo laban sa COVID-19," she said in her Dispatch from Crame No. 1119.

"Kaya nangyari na nga ang ating sinasabi noon pa. COA na mismo ang nagpatunay na palpak si Duterte sa pagpapatupad ng programa at paggamit ng pondo laban sa COVID," she added.

COA's annual audit report for DOH in 2020 said it found deficiencies on how the department managed its P67.32-billion fund to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that it contributed to challenges and "missed opportunities" that could have helped the country in managing the pandemic. COA noted that said deficiencies are caused by DOH's non-compliance with pertinent laws and regulations.

According to government auditors, these issues cast doubt on the regularity of transactions, while keeping much-needed funds at bay and unspent.

The lady Senator from Bicol said there can be no other image that could best represent the government's sheer incompetence than the billions in pesos in public funds that were left idle in the coffers while millions of families continue to fight to survive.

"The latest COA findings reveal that the lackluster performance of this government in its pandemic response is to blame for the challenges we encountered," she said.

"But that's just the tip of the iceberg. Malinaw sa ulat ng COA na bukod sa malaking pera ang hindi nagastos at natengga, yung bilyon-bilyong pisong ginastos naman nila ang hitik sa iregularidad at hindi ginamit nang naaayon sa batas. Just when we thought that the ?15B PhilHealth scandal could not get any worse. Are we even surprised at this point?".

"Malayo sana ang mararating ng ?67 billion: benepisyo sa mga bayaning health care workers, kagamitan para sa mas maayos na tugon sa mga COVID patients at ayuda sa nawalan ng trabaho, pagkain para sa mga kumakalam ang sikmura, assistance para sa mga estudyante, at marami pang iba," she added.

Undoubtedly, De Lima said Duterte's governance is the complete opposite of the clean and efficient government that he himself had promised back in 2016, stressing that "violence, corruption and incompetence are set to be the enduring legacy of Duterte rule."

"May plano nga na naman sila sa mga perang inutang, pinatulog at ibinulsa. Hindi nga lang kapakanan ng taumbayan ang paggagamitan. Abangan niyo na lang daw ang paambon nila sa kampanya," she said.