MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives will conduct an inquiry anytime this week on the Department of Health’s (DOH) poor handling of P67.32 billion worth of COVID-19 funds based on a Commission on Audit (COA) report. Speaker Lord Allan Velasco said on Sunday that the House had invited the COA to brief lawmakers on the DOH’s “deficiencies” in the use of its pandemic response funds. He added that the House leadership wanted to hear first the health department’s explanation before making any conclusion. The COA said the DOH and its attached agencies were unable to spend nearly 30 percent of their budget allotments for 2020. “Of course, no one expects a public servant to resign just because some people call for him to do so.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer August 15, 2021 21:00 UTC