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MANILA – Senator Risa Hontiveros unveiled 11 contracts on Tuesday that allegedly show the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) acquired overpriced personal protective equipment (PPE) in the second quarter of 2020.
LOOK: Senator Risa Hontiveros says the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) signed 11 contracts to purchase allegedly overpriced Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in April and May. pic.twitter.com/pJ1597YgFN
– Kat Domingo (@_katrinadomingo) September 29, 2020
The Department of Health (DOH) published a circular that places a P945 limit on PPE sets sold from March 23 to April 13, 2020.
DBM bought PPE between P1,700 and P1,980, Hontiveros said in a statement.
“Of the 11 contracts, three of them are in the same period of time that the DOH freezes prices,” he said.
“A set of PPE should only cost almost P1,000 if purchased from local companies. But no, DBM chose to transact with Chinese companies,” he added.
Of the 11 companies that signed PPE procurement contracts with DBM, only 4 are managed by local manufacturers, the senator said.
Hontiveros said Filipino PPE producers have been able to produce up to 2 million face masks a month since February.
The senator said she would raise the issue again when the DBM budget is discussed in the Senate plenary.
“We have so many questions for the DBM, and again, we need answers to better inform our budget deliberations in the Senate,” he said.
“DBM should clearly explain these contracts,” he said.
Risa Hontiveros, personal protective equipment, COVID-19, global pandemic, health, overrated PPE, PPE
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