A SENATOR on Monday filed a resolution seeking an early audit of around P570 billion spent so far for coronavirus pandemic response.

Senator Risa N. Hontiveros-Baraquel filed Senate Resolution No. 710 urging the Commission on Audit (CoA) to conduct a special audit on disbursed funds under the two laws specifically passed for the coronavirus crisis before the deliberations for the 2022 national budget, in light of the surge in cases and unemployment.

“The current situation of the country — health care workers lamenting the delay in hazard pay, indigent Filipinos not receiving ayuda (assistance), overextended health facilities — highlights the urgency of transparency in the use of public funds,” the resolution read.

She said more than P568 billion had been released for the country’s coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response, including the social amelioration program and other health-related programs to stop the spread of the virus, citing the Department of Budget and Management.

The ineffective response led to the surge in cases last month, the senator said in the resolution.

She also said that the President must update Congress on the status of the funds every first Monday of the month in Bayanihan II, noting that the last public submission of report was in January.

“Considering that Congress is set to deliberate on the 2022 budget and must exercise prudence in spending during this crisis, the audit findings would help identify bottlenecks or inefficiencies to guide legislators in their exercise of the power of the purse,” the resolution said.

Several senators including Ms. Hontiveros filed in July last year a resolution for the CoA to audit COVID-19-related government spending which is still pending at the Committee level. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas

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