De Lima seeks probe听on听under-utilization of听transport听funds, project delays听听
OPPOSITION听senator Leila M. de Lima听has filed a resolution calling for an investigation听on听the Department of Transportation鈥檚 (DoTr) deficiencies in the听disbursement of听coronavirus aid funds听and delays in its project implementation.听听听听
Ms. De Lima,听chair of the Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development,听filed the resolution Tuesday to seek an explanation from Transport officials as well as thresh out weaknesses in the system.听听听
鈥淐oncerned offices and officials must therefore be enjoined to explain their failure to perform their mandates,鈥澨齭he said in a statement on Thursday.听听
The senator, citing听the 2020 Commission on Audit report,听said听鈥渢he underutilization of听DoTr鈥檚 aid听funds not only hindered its optimum use towards much needed programs, it also immobilized already scarce funds鈥澨齮hat could have been given to the health and education sectors.听听
The听audit听report also听noted听a delay in 15听foreign-assisted听projects with an aggregate cost of P1.3 trillion.听听
State auditors also said that the Transport department听failed to deliver license plates despite acquiring P2.2 billion from registrants.听听
鈥淚t is also imperative that听DoTr鈥檚 policies are looked into to ascertain whether existing bureaucracies in its system hamper the performance of duties,鈥澨齭aid听Ms. De Lima.听鈥斕鼳lyssa Nicole O. Tan听
