The Department of Health (DOH) released a statement after news broke out about its proposed acquirement of four ‘high-end’ laptops that has a budget of up to Php700,000.
DOH’s spokesperson said that they will explain the procurement of such laptops “in proper channels.”
“Kasama po ‘yan sa isasagot natin ano, dito po sa mga COA audit reports na binigay sa atin,”
Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, Department of Health
The procurement for four “high-end 2-in-1 laptop and accessories” was revealed on the DOH’s document from the Buds and Awards Committee that was dated just last August 4.
This document became a hot topic on social media as it caught a lot of attention from netizens.
Moreover, the health department is also receiving criticisms after the Commission on Audit (COA) saw deficiencies in how they managed the Php67.32 billion funds that were supposed to be used in the pandemic.
In another statement, the DOH said that they will respond to the COA’s observation and implement COA’s recommendations by next week, which is much earlier than the commission’s September 23 deadline.
Vergeire said that the questioned Php67 billion budget will be “well accounted for” and added that the “DOH has always been transparent.”
“Ito pong P67 billion na sinasabi, well accounted for lahat po iyan. Actually ‘yun aming pong pera na naibigay nang nag-umpisa ang pandemya we were able utilize almost 98 percent of that,”
“We are open to all kinds of investigation, hindi po kami aatras diyan, (we will never avoid that.)”
Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, Department of Health
Update: The DOH has put on hold the procurement of the said laptops citing “pending the result of further market study.”
Via: Inquirer.net