Duterte: No corruption in use of Bayanihan funds

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte assured the public yesterday that taxpayers’ money being spent on COVID-19 response is spent wisely.

Duterte shrugged off insinuations of corruption after some quarters raised questions on the distribution of the social amelioration funds in several areas.

To date, the government has distributed cash amelioration to about 13.93 million beneficiaries worth P83.3 billion based on the report of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“We will be careful with the next round of Bayanihan. Is it three? Three. And there is still money to be given to the people, to the poor especially,” he said.

Duterte issued the statement as he discussed the alleged corruption at the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., wherein PhilHealth officials are now facing prosecution.

In his first report to Congress on the implementation of the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or Bayanihan 2, Duterte reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthen response against COVID-19.

Bayanihan 2 provides for the government’s COVID-19 response and recovery interventions. It also aims to speed up the country’s economic recovery.

The measure includes P140 billion in regular appropriation and P25 billion as standby funds.

At a press briefing, presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the Bayanihan 2 would reduce the adverse impact of COVID-19, enhance the capacity of the Philippine healthcare system in controlling and eliminating the disease, accelerate recovery and bolster economic resilience and enhance fiscal and monetary policies to sustain COVID-19 measures.

Roque cited the coordination among the DSWD field offices nationwide, Department of the Interior and Local Government and the regional mechanisms of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to identify areas that were certified under granular lockdown for the proper identification of low-income family-beneficiaries.

Roque said that as of Sept. 30, the Department of Health has tapped 17 bilateral partners for vaccine trials and reiterated the Philippines’ intent to participate in the WHO Solidarity Trials for vaccines at COVAX facility.?To hasten economic recovery, the National Economic and Development Authority approved on Aug. 19 the revised list of infrastructure flagship projects under the Build Build Build program.

The President said that as of Sept. 30, a total of P18.058 billion of the total Bayanihan grants have been released to local government units.

The Department of Finance has secured $9.91 billion in loans and grants for the fight against COVID-19 as of Oct. 2.