DUTERTE administration officials face grilling at the upcoming Senate inquiry set Tuesday as probers dig into the Department of Health’s P82.5-billion fund that Congress allocated for the government’s anti-Coronavirus (Covid) vaccine supply to contain the deadly contagion.
In a radio interview over the weekend, Senate Minority Leader Frank M. Drilon indicated he has lined up probing queries on funding details’ disbursements to verify if additional allocation is needed to ensure enough vaccine supply to protect people from the killer virus.
“We have many questions to ask but we need transparency,” Drilon said, reminding that it involves a big amount of public fund. “Hindi maliit na pera ang kailangan natin. Ilan ba talaga ang kailangang bakuna? Ilan ang dumating? Ilan ang nabakunahan na? [This involves not a small amount. How many vaccines do we really need? How many arrived? How many have been vaccinated?]”
Drilon recalled that lawmakers already set aside P82.5-billion to buy the Covid vaccines.
“Do they need P25-billion more?” he asked quickly adding that “before that, the people need to be told how much was already spent? How was it used?”
The Senator stressed the need for transparency in spending, reminding it involves public money that were in the form of loan. “Kailangan ang transparency sa paggasta. Pera ng taumbauyan ito. Inutang po ito.”
According to Drilon, the people, as well as the lawmakers, need to be clarified how the multibillion-allocation was disbursed. [“Kailangan maliwanagan ang taumbayan at ang Senado.”]
“Sa ngayon, hindi maliwanag kung magkano na ang nagastos. Ilan ’yung na-donate at anong brand? [So far, it is unclear how much has been spent. How many were donated and what brands?]”
Moreover, he affirmed that lawmakers are also keen to be updated on the multi-billion funding they approved for the drug supply purchase.
“Marami tayong itatanong para magkaroon ng transparency. [We’re going to ask many questions to gain transparency.]”
Drilon reminded the need for “full transparency and accounting” given the huge amount of people’s money involved.
“Ito ay kritikal para maging matagumpay ang vaccination program at magkaroon ng tiwala ang taumbayan na nasa tama ang paggastos ng pondo. [This is critical for the vaccination program to be successful and for the people to have confidence that the funds are being spent correctly.]”
The Minority Leader maintained the need to “be careful in handling public funds especially since there elections are scheduled next year,” adding this was why he is calling for transparency.
For instance, Drilon was keen to know how many are actually being targeted for inoculation, recalling earlier estimates ranging from 70 million to 90 million, adding this would be used as basis on how much funding is needed to arrive at the so-called “herd immunity.”
The Minority Leader added senators are also likely to ask which vaccine and under what brand have been purchased, how many were bought, at what prices and if the pricing were correct.
“Importante ang presyo kasi marami na tayong nabili. Kailangan malaman ng taumbayan kung magkano ang presyo nito at kung tama ba. [The price is important because we have already bought a lot. The people need to know how much it costs and if it is right.]”
He said all these need to be clarified.
“Suriin natin. Tama ang sinabing allocation ay P82.5-billion. Ang P70-billion ay nasa unprogrammed fund. Maliban doon, mayroong programmed sa DOH at Bayanihan 2 kaya ang total ay P82.5 billion. Maliban dito may hinihingi na P25 billion.”
However, Drilon said the lawmakers will first seek to clear the supplemental budget being requested by proponents from the Executive department.
“Liwanagin muna natin kung supplemental budget ang hinihingi nila. Kailangan natin ng certification sa National Treasurer na available ang pondong iyon. Kung walang bagong revenue, mayroon bang savings? Tingnan natin kung ano yung mga pondo na pwedeng i-realign. Halimbawa, pwede pa ba nating i-realign ang P16.4 billion sa ating insurgency fund.”
In addition, Drilon cited the P13-billion fund lying “idle” in the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) account for projects that, he said, were not pursued.
[Mayroon silang P13 billion nakatengga sa kanilang account para sa mga projects na hindi naman natutuloy.]
“Ang ginawa ng DOF [Department of Finance], kinuha yung may P12 billion; iyan ay halimbawa ng cash sweep.”
“Yung PITC tingnan natin: Magkano ang latest account ng PITC na hanggang ngayon nakatengga doon at kumikita yung interest na ginagamit sa operations ng PITC. Isa iyan sa mga itatanong ko,” he said. [Let’s look at the Philippine International Trading Corp. How much is the latest PITC account that has been idling there until now and only earns interest used for PITC’s operations. That is one of the questions I will ask.]
“We are not in a perfect world. We should be vigilant,” especially with the upcoming election period.
At the same time, Drilon recalled that apart from allocations from the national budget, there were many vaccine supplies donated by the private sector and bought vaccines for their personnel.
“Marami din ang nag-donate ng bakuna. Ilan ba ang na-donate? Alam natin na maliban sa national budget, mayroon ding bakuna mula sa private sector. Sila yung bumili para sa kanilang empleyado at kung hindi ako nagkakamali, ito ay nasa 15 million doses.” [Many also donated vaccines. How many were donated? We know that besides the national budget, the private sector also had funds to purchase vaccines; they bought for their employees and, if I’m not mistaken, it’s 15 million doses.]
Apart from that, he added that local government units (LGUs) also bought their own vaccine supply, airing expectations these acquisitions will be compiled in a consolidated report.
“Maliban doon, mayroon ding binili ang LGUs. Iyan ay dapat makakabawas sa gastos ng national. Sana may consolidated report ng mga bakuna*.
Drilon added that the Senate Committee on Finance is empowered to conduct a review, saying he would remind its chairman, Senator Juan Edgardo M. Angara, to do so and render a report.
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