PNoy won’t axe Soliman over unutilized, spoiled Yolanda aid –Palace

President Benigno Aquino III will not axe Social Welfare Secretary Corazon "Dinky" Soliman over the Commission on Audit's (COA) findings that billions of pesos of Yolanda aid were unutilized and that some food donations were lost to spoilage.

At press briefing on Thursday, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said Aquino is still confident that Soliman can still perform her job as head of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

"Patuloy ang pagtitiwala ni Pangulong Aquino kay Secretary Soliman dahil sa kanyang dedikasyon sa tungkulin at kasipagan," Coloma told reporters, adding those calling for Soliman's removal should understand the severity of the problem she is trying to address.

"Unawain lang po natin na libu-libo ang mga taong apektado. Kung may iilan na magpapahayag ng hindi pagiging kuntento sa serbisyo, mauunawaan natin iyan," Coloma said.

"Batid natin na naging malawak ang pinsala, at hindi naman nagpapanggap ang pamahalaan na nasolusyonan ito ng 100 porsyento. Ang masasabi lang po natin ay iyong marubdob na pagnanasa na tumugon sa mga pangagailangan ng ating mga mamamayan," he added.

Some Yolanda survivors have been calling for Soliman's resignation since March, blaming her for the wastage of some relief goods for victims of the devastating super typhoon.

COA report

Earlier this week, the COA released a report which revealed that millions worth of food packs, canned goods, noodles and rice meant for Yolanda survivors went to waste due to improper handling.

Aside from rotten relief goods, the COA also reported that some P700 million in donations from local sources and $15 million, or about P699 million, remained unspent by the end of 2013.

Soliman explained that some of the food packs were found unfit for human consumption after they "got wet while in transit at sea." She also pledged that "those accountable for the incident will be held liable."

The DSWD chief further denied that Yolanda cash donations were unspent, maintaining that these were already disbursed and all accounted for. —KBK, GMA News