Rep Quimbo questions DOH on Covid test kit price disparities

Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo questioned the Department of Health (DOH) over price disparities in Covid-19 test kits during a House appropriations panel hearing on Monday.

Quimbo pointed out that test kits from the same brand and method were priced differently, with one instance showing a P500 difference between P2,083 and P1,562.

DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa explained that these price differences could be due to purchases made at different times during the pandemic.

Former Health Secretary Francisco Duque III agreed but noted the need to consider timelines more closely.

Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin suggested that the DOH should not have delegated specialized procurement responsibilities to the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM), leading to controversies over pricing.

SAGIP Party List Rep. Rodante Marcoleta questioned whether revisiting these issues was necessary given past Senate investigations, expressing doubts about the objectives of the committee hearing.