Senate Probes Billions in Wasted Medicines as Filipinos Struggle for Access

The Senate Resolution Pushes for Answers

Senator Raffy Tulfo has filed Senate Resolution No. 403 to investigate Commission on Audit findings on billions of pesos in expired and unutilized medicines and vaccines procured by the Department of Health from 2018 to 2024. The move highlights repeated deficiencies in how the DOH handles procurement, inventory, and distribution, issues that have led to massive losses of public funds over the years.

Tulfo stressed that accountability must follow, including possible cases filed or personnel removed from their positions if wrongdoing is confirmed in the DOH or related agencies. His action comes after hearing directly from patients who cannot find needed medicines at public hospitals and barangay health centers across the country.

Years of Documented Losses in Public Health Spending

The Commission on Audit has tracked a consistent pattern of waste involving medicines, vaccines, and medical supplies. Figures cited include P18.5 billion from 2015 to 2018, P2.2 billion in 2019, P95 million in 2020, P85 million in 2021, P7.4 billion in 2022, P11.18 billion in 2023, and P134 million in 2024.

In its 2024 audit report, the COA noted that around P34.8 million worth of drugs and medical inventories had already expired, while another P99.5 million were nearing expiration. Overstocking and weak inventory controls have turned resources that could support health services into losses, especially in regions where low-income families rely on government supply.

Impact on Ordinary Families Seeking Basic Care

Many marginalized Filipinos still face barriers when trying to obtain free vitamin supplements or maintenance medicines for diabetes and hypertension at barangay health centers and public hospitals. At the same time, procured supplies sit unused in warehouses and facilities instead of reaching those who need them most.

Medicines remain one of the biggest out-of-pocket costs for Filipino households. When public funds are lost to expiration and poor planning, the burden shifts directly onto families who already stretch limited budgets to cover chronic conditions and everyday health needs.

Systemic Weaknesses in Distribution and Planning

Deficiencies in inventory management have repeatedly affected procurement planning, distribution, and monitoring within the Department of Health. These gaps allow overstocking that leads to expiration, wasting resources that could otherwise support services in underserved areas.

The pattern has continued across multiple years despite earlier audit observations. Strengthening these systems is essential so that supplies reach local government units and health facilities in time to serve communities rather than expire on shelves.

Accountability and Reforms for Future Health Services

Tulfo’s resolution calls for an inquiry to determine accountability, identify responsible officials, and fix the weaknesses inside the DOH that have permitted ongoing wastage and non-utilization of publicly funded supplies. Such steps aim to prevent the same issues from recurring in future procurements.

Communities across the Philippines depend on reliable access to medicines through government channels. Addressing these long-standing problems can help ensure that public resources translate into real support for patients who visit barangay centers and public hospitals seeking care they cannot otherwise afford.

Photo: (Global 1 News)