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BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Monday, July 3, 2017
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MANILA – The Commission on Audit (COA) expressed concern over the failure of Vice President Leni Robredo to use almost half of her office’s medical assistance fund last year.
A COA annual report for 2016 showed the Office of Vice President (OVP) has P89.269 million in medical aid allocation that represents “undelivered services that could have benefited more indigent Filipinos.”
Of the OVP’s P219.963-million financial assistance budget, only P130.693 million (59.42 percent) was used to fund medical and burial aid, relief operation, and medical mission, and for buying wheelchairs.
“Utilization of appropriated financial resources is quite a concern for national government agencies,” the COA said. “It has deprived Filipinos chance to avail themselves of financial aid from the government.”
“The reported downtrend in fund utilization compared with the worsening financial dearth among low-bracket Filipinos suggests the need to look into the absorptive capacity of government agencies,” added the agency.
Of the assistance fund the OVP spent in 2016, P93.811 million was used during the second half of 2016, or during Robredo’s term. The rest was spent during the term of Jejomar Binay, the COA report showed.
The OVP attributed the reported “underspending” to its lack of sufficient personnel.
Only four to seven employees were tasked to interview those seeking financial help, it said.
“The interviews were being conducted only in the morning since they (personnel) have other work assignments in the afternoon,” the OVP said in a statement.
“Geographical and demographical limitations also affect the agency since it only receives applications directly forwarded to its office, while those requiring assistance in the provinces or outside Metro Manila would need to visit the OVP office,” it added./PN
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