Government money being spent on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response is spent wisely, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte said on Monday, as he assured the public that there is no corruption in such expenditures.
“Ito namang pera ng Bayanihan Act, I assure you that it was spent wisely, it was spent according to rules at sinigurado ko ‘yan at the start. Wala hong ano diyan, walang sindikato,” President Duterte said in a televised address to the nation.
“Wala hong sabihin mo na may nakawan. And we will be careful with the next round of a Bayanihan. Is it three? Three. And there is still money to be well given to the people, to the poor especially.”
The President, however, mentioned the abuses committed by PhilHealth officials noting they now face prosecution after a task force recommended the filing of charges against them.
The President has submitted his first report to Congress on the implementation of the “Bayanihan to Recover as One Act” or Bayanihan 2, renewing government’s commitment to further strengthen efforts to reduce the impact of the coronavirus, improve the country’s healthcare system, and boost economic recovery.
Signed by President Duterte last month, the Bayanihan 2 provides for the government’s COVID-19 response and recovery interventions.
It also has mechanisms aimed at accelerating the country’s economic recovery. The measure includes P140 billion in regular appropriation and P25 billion as standby funding.
