House panel starts scrutiny of gov’t agencies’ budgets
THE House Committee on Appropriations has started scrutinizing the budget of some agencies of the government, starting with the Department of Health (DOH).
Committe chairman Ako Bicol Representative Zaldy Co said the House wants to make sure that the budget allocated under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) was utilized and disbursed correctly, promptly, effectively, and efficiently.
“We want to make sure that the DOH is delivering the services that our people need, and that every peso of the people’s money is being spent wisely. We owe it to our constituents to ensure that they are getting the healthcare services that they deserve,” Co said.
Co has reminded the officials from the Department of Health about the Bayanihan Act, which stipulates that Antigen Test and other Covid-related materials should be accessible up to the barangay level.
He emphasized the importance of providing access to Antigen Test kits, particularly now that the number of Covid positive cases is increasing again.
“Antigen test kits should be accessible up to the barangay level as per Bayanihan Act. We should not make it difficult for the people to have access to these test kits, especially now that we are seeing an increase in Covid cases,” Co added.
Based on the Fiscal Year 2022 compliance audit of the Commission on Audit, the DOH faced issues regarding fund use, such as deficiencies in the procurement process and timelines, lapses of unutilized allotments, and low utilization.
Additionally, there were issues in the distribution and use of Covid-19-related items, payment of Covid-19 benefits and allowances, and implementation of the health facilities enhancement program (HFEP).
The panel also inquired why the DOH had failed to fill up almost 20,000 vacant positions despite having allocated a budget for these positions. Rep. Co pointed out that filling these positions would enable the DOH to provide better service to the public.
The House of Representatives Appropriations Committee’s oversight inquiries into the budget performance of national government agencies reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring that public funds are utilized effectively and efficiently.
Co said as the country continues to grapple with the ongoing health crisis, it is imperative that public services, particularly healthcare services, are readily accessible to all Filipinos.
