COA Reacts To Catering Spendings of DOH
COA – The Commission on Audit pointed out the expenses of the Department of Health (DOH) for catering services amid the virtual meetings.
In the Philippines, the independent body that is tasked to check on the accounts of government fund spendings and the management of properties is the Commission on Audit. More commonly called “COA”, one of the agency spendings it checks are the expenses of the Department of Health (DOH).
Currently, DOH is facing a lot of issues, questions, and criticisms over its 2020 expenses. The audit body flagged the health department over the alleged irregular and unnecessary spendings of its regional offices.
Based on a report on ABS-CBN News, COA pointed out a total of P557 million of supposed unnecessary and irregular spendings by the regional offices of DOH. It sparked a lot of reports and earned the health department criticisms from the people.
Based on the report, the said DOH expenses which COA tagged as irregular and unnecessary spendings include expenses on catering services amid the virtual meetings. According to the auditing body, the health department spent P1.08 million of government funds for catering services in 2020.
COA said that catering services are not needed as meetings are done virtually and those who are part of it are staying in their workstations. According to the report, the catering expenses were charged for the food on the virtual meetings of the Region 6-Center for Health Development (CHD).
visit: DOH Denies Corruption In P67 Billion Unallocated COVID-19 Funds
The auditing body further cited that the P2.1 million spent on hazard pay for its employees in Region 7 is also not necessary. The body stressed that some employees still have leave of absence credits while some were not physically present in DOH offices.
Reportedly, the auditing body also cited the hazard pay given to the frontliners in Region 2 is much more than the right amount under the rules. Previously, Health Secretary Francisco Duque admitted that he’s having a hard time now. There are calls for him to resign but President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is not in favor of it.
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