EP 64: How did the Health Department spend COVID-19 funds?

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III appeared at a House hearing earlier this week pouring his heart out over a Commission on Audit Report. 

The COA flagged “deficiencies” in some 67 billion pesos in funds allotted to the DOH for its COVID-19 response critical items such as the purchase of face masks and allowances for medical frontliners. 

But Duque questioned why the COA made the findings public even if the report was clearly part of its mandate. 

In his words, the COA findings destroyed the DOH though the Filipino term he used was far more colorful. 

Tonight, we’ll go deep into the COA findings and why the DOH needs to answer the issues squarely.