MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Audit (COA) expressed concerns on the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s (DICT) undistributed Samsung tablets, totaling 3,304, donated by the United Nations Development Program as assistance to the country’s COVID-19 vaccination program.

The tablets were meant to aid in the implementation of the Vaccine Information Management System (VIMS), a platform for recording and processing data in relation to monitoring vaccination coverage, supply shortages, and tracking safety issues. 

A total of 4,000 devices were donated in early 2022, with only 696 devices having been distributed, and the undistributed 3,304 representing 83% of the total provided. Each kit has a Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite with case and keyboards, with a total worth of P60.39 million.

Auditors noted that the DICT has yet to formulate a memorandum of agreement with Local Government Unit (LGU) beneficiaries.

No instructions have been given to field operating officers as well regarding custody, monitoring, selection and qualification of beneficiaries, reporting and documentary requirements, borrowing arrangements, and other terms and conditions.

The instructions are supposed to come from the VIMS Project Management Officer from the DICT Central Office. 

While distribution has been delayed, the specific number of devices each region is supposed to receive has been penciled in.  

“The DICT reasoned that one of the causes of the delayed distribution is the lack of legal documents transferring ownership of the tablets to the DICT. Hence, the DICT cannot transfer what it does not own,” the audit team said.

“From the latest delivery, it has been more than a year that the equipment remained unutilized. The selection and qualification of beneficiaries shall be determined by the DICT. Yet as per our inquiry, no guidelines had been formulated to that effect.” – Rappler.com