Duterte denies underspending Covid-19 funds: ‘It’s only one percent’

By Prince Golez

President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday expressed disappointment over Congress’ claim that the government was underspending on Covid-19 response.

This, after some lawmakers lamented that the Bayanihan to Recover as One or Bayanihan 2 expired with billions-worth of unused funds.

“The problem is, you know, one thing very wrong with Congress is that they are not listening when you (Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez) are talking. So it would be better to give it a little shout. Totoo,” Duterte said in a taped briefing.

“The criticism is always on the Executive Department, tayo ‘yung nage-execute sa laws. So when they say that you are not spending the money correctly because there is underspending, and it turns out it’s only one percent,” he added.

For his part, Dominguez explained that the Department of Budget and Management has already released P660 billion from the Bayanihan 2 funds.

What the senators were referring to as “underspending” was P6 billion, the secretary added.

“This is one percent, okay, and we are sure that it will be released. But in the meantime, we are asking each department to really spend the money,” he concluded.

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)