DOH’s COVID-19 spending reaches P44B

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH), the government agency at the forefront of the country’s fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has so far used 86% or P44 billion of its over P51-billion budget allocated to address the pandemic.

In an online media forum Wednesday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the DOH was given P51.59 billion in its fight against the pandemic, 89% or P45.72 billion of which came from the supplemental budget mandated by the Bayanihan To Heal as One-Act.

“As of August 2020, utilization was P44.57 billion or 86.46 percent,” Vergeire said.

She added that 46% of the allocation was used for case management-related commodities, purchase of personal protective equipment (PPEs), and other expenses related to the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Some P15.47 billion was used for laboratory-related commodities such as the purchase of testing kits and logistical supplies needed by laboratories.

Earlier, President Duterte ordered concerned government agencies to regularly publicize their COVID-19 spending. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1326681/duterte-wants-cabinet-officials-to-disclose-agencies-spending-every-15-days-or-monthly

As of Tuesday, there are 197,164 confirmed coronavirus infections nationwide, of which, 132,396 are recoveries. Meanwhile, 3,018 have so far died of the respiratory illness. [ac]