PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has directed all government agencies involved in the Covid-19 response to publish in newspapers all procurement transactions to dispel any suspicions of corruption in the light of the ongoing investigation into irregularities in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).
He stressed that the Bayanihan 1 and 2 programs are "clean" unlike PhilHealth, which has been shaken by allegations of corruption.
For Bayanihan 1 and 2, Duterte vowed that government will account for every centavo.
"Gusto kong ipaalam sa lahat that as upon my oath of office, huwag kayong mag-alala, lahat ng pera na nagastos dito sa away ng Covid ay maa-account. I will hold myself responsible for this sole and solemn duty of answering for and in behalf of the executive department for all the funds that were spent in the fight against Covid," he said in a message to the nation aired Tuesday morning, August 25, 2020.
Duterte also asked Congress to join the executive department in putting up measures to ensure that the funds allocated for the Covid-19 response are being spent according to its purpose.
Addressing Congress, he said the executive is ready to have each transaction "audited right away for you to peruse".
All transactions should be published every 15 days or month, including the names and contact details of the suppliers. Even the procurement of one piece of paper clip should be listed, Duterte said.
His order covers the National Task Force Against Covid-19 headed by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, all the agencies that make up the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases and his office.
He said he was reviewing objections lodged against the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). Both agencies will still be allowed to report all disbursements.
"Ilagay nila magkano ang ginastos and for what. And at the end of the month maybe, or after... hindi, buwanan mas maganda. Makita na nila kung (saan) pinuntahan ng pera, (kung) pumunta ba talaga sa gastos at sino. That is in view of the... yung sama ng loob ng tao dito sa PhilHealth na ito," Duterte said.
"Lalo na itong PhilHealth, maski paper clip, i-publish ninyo, at sino yung bidder na mag-supply ng paper clip, maski isa. Isabi mo d'yan sa newspaper para mabasa," he added.
More measures will be implemented, including the stricter disbursement of Bayanihan 2 funds, he added.
Under Bayanihan 2, or the proposed Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, a total of P140 billion has been allocated.
The final version of the measure also provides for a P25.5-billion standby fund for the fight against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
Duterte has yet to the sign the Bayanihan 2 into law. (Marites Villamor-Ilano/VoxPop Philippines)