Following a complaint filed against Department of Health (DOH) officials, DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire on Tuesday stressed that the department is using funds for its cancer programs in a transparent manner.
During a press briefing, Vergeire said the DOH and the accused officials have yet to receive a opy of the complaint, which was filed by the department’s medical officer Dr. Clarito Cairo Jr. “Gusto ko lang po bigyan ng assurance ang ating mga kababayan na lahat po ng ginagawa nating proseso para po sa ating mga programa specific dito sa inaakusa na cancer funds ay above broad
(I just want to give assurance to the public that all the processes of the DOH in its programs specifically the cancer funds are above board.),” she said. “Everything is done in a transparent manner,” she added.
Aside from the DOH, Vergeire said the National Integrated Cancer Control Council is also making decisions on its cancer programs. In his complaint, Cairo accused Vergeire and six others of grave misconduct, malversation of public funds, and violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
He claimed that the sub-allotment of funds for the Cancer and Supportive-Palliative Medicines Access Program (CSPMAP) to selected access sites was highly disadvantageous to the government and a disservice to many CSPMAP-enrolled patients.
Cairo also claimed that despite his intervention, the respondents pursued the sub-allotment of P781 million to only 19 access sites instead of 31.
He said the respondents allegedly conspired to undermine his technical expertise and institutional memory, which led to the “mismanagement” of the budget.
Vergeire said the DOH will respond to the complaint at the proper venue.