By Darryl John Esguerra | Philippine News Agency
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday credited citizen reports for helping expose widespread irregularities in flood control projects, as he announced a new transparency portal and digital reforms aimed at tightening oversight and curbing corruption in government infrastructure programs.
Speaking at a Palace briefing, Marcos said many of the ongoing investigations were triggered by public complaints sent through the “Sumbong sa Pangulo” platform, launched in August to allow citizens to directly report anomalies to his office.
“Matapos ng dalawang linggo mula ng SONA (State of the Nation Address), binuksan na natin ‘yung Sumbong sa Pangulo website para maka-report ang taong-bayan na diretso sa akin. At mula noon, nakatanggap na tayo… ng more than 20,000 na report na ibinigay,” Marcos said.
He said many of the flood control cases under investigation were identified through tips submitted by ordinary Filipinos.
“Kaya ipagpatuloy po ninyo ‘yung inyong pag-report sa amin kapag mayroon kayong nakita na dapat tingnan, dapat imbestigahan, dapat pag-aralan,” he added.
The Sumbong sa Pangulo initiative complements the multi-agency anti-corruption probe led by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Office of the Ombudsman, which have filed multiple graft, malversation, and bid-rigging cases against public works officials and private contractors.
Transparency and reform drive
The government is developing a transparency portal that will provide the public with access to detailed information on government projects —including contractors, implementing offices, locations, and project status—to promote accountability at every stage, Marcos said.
The reforms will cover three key areas: project design, bidding and procurement, and payment systems—all aimed at increasing transparency, improving data security, and reducing opportunities for corruption.
“Kailangan tiyakin natin na ang pondo na nilalabas natin para sa mga proyekto ay talagang tapos na,” he said.
Smart tech, AI to spot anomalies
The President also said the government would leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and smart technologies to enhance project monitoring and detect irregularities in both contract processing and physical implementation.
The technology, he said, will also help verify if construction materials and specifications meet required standards.
“Gagamitin natin lahat ng paraan na nasa atin, pati nga hanggang AI… para inspeksyunin kung maganda ba ang pagkaayos, kung talagang nilalagyan ng rebar, kung makapal talaga ‘yung konkreto, ‘yung semento sa tamang specification,” he said.
Marcos said these digital reforms form part of his administration’s broader anti-corruption framework to ensure transparency, integrity, and citizen participation in governance.
