THE Department of Health said its budget utilization reports have been submitted to Senator Manny Pacquiao following the lawmaker’s corruption allegations against the agency.

Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said he sent all the reports to the senator.

“Lahat ng mga report na ito, pinadala ko na kagabi kay (I sent all these reports last night to) Senator Manny Pacquiao,” he said.

Duque said out of the P45.7 billion that the DOH received from the Budget Department under Bayanihan 1, 98% or P44.7 billion was obligated, 93% or P41.8 billion of which was disbursed, leaving a balance of P975 million.

He added that out of the P17.3 billion the DOH received under Bayanihan 2, 87% or P15 billion was obligated, 71% or P10.67 billion of which was disbursed, leaving a balance of P2.2 billion.

The health chief stressed that it was not the DOH but the procurement arm of the Budget Department that purchased face masks, RT-PCR test kits, and personal protective equipment.

“I talked to Budget Undersecretary Lloyd Lao the other night and he said he’s ready to also show the budget utilization and that all transactions are aboveboard,” he said.

Duque pointed out that there is “zero way that a kickback can go through” vaccine loans as the funds went straight to manufacturers and never fell into the hands of the DOH.

He earlier said the DOH was prepared to submit a budget utilization report to Pacquiao and cooperate with any corruption probe.

The senator pointed to the DOH when dared by President Rodrigo Duterte to prove that there is corruption within the government.

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Lee Ann P. Ducusin