How citizen-led infrastructure monitoring is reclaiming People Power
MANILA, Philippines — As the Philippines nears the 40th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution, a new movement shifts the battleground from street marches to construction sites and a digital platform.
Civil society groups, church leaders, and government officials launched “Bisto Proyekto: Ang Bagong People Power,” a nationwide initiative that turns citizen vigilance into a technical accountability tool, on Saturday, February 21, at the Adamson University Theater in Manila.
The movement, led by the anti-corruption group Taongbayan Action for Participatory, Accountable and Transparent Governance (TAPAT), marks a strategic shift in how the spirit of 1986 is commemorated.
“Is a rally enough? People are angry and they are asking for responsibility, but perhaps there is an additional way for more meaningful participation in the process of change,” said TAPAT lead Dondon Parafina as he introduced the project.
“We don’t need to be an engineer or an advocate to do this. If the people will be watching over every island and corner of the Philippines, there will be no more ghost and substandard projects,” Parafina added.
Authorized ‘citizen monitors‘
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is tapping the public to serve as on-the-ground monitors of infrastructure corruption.
DPWH Undersecretary Nick Conti joined the launch to formalize this partnership, acknowledging that the government’s eyes cannot be everywhere at once.
“You are our allies. Reminder, do not be afraid. Because the person who knows that what he is doing is right has nothing to hide,” Conti said during the launch ceremony.
Conti described corruption in public infrastructure projects as a very high-reward, low-risk activity.
“With an average of over 20,000 projects annually, we cannot inspect them all. This is one reason why they are emboldened to hide their tracks, keep secrets, or engage in wrongdoing,” Conti said in a mix of English and Tagalog.
By signing a memorandum of agreement, the DPWH formally recognizes citizen inspectors as a vital part of the project’s audit trail, providing them with safe access to sites and project documents.
CITIZEN MONITORS. Taongbayan Action for Participatory, Accountable and Transparent Governance (TAPAT) and the Department of Public Works and Highways signs a memorandum of agreement, allowing the public to participate in monitoring public infrastructures nationwide through Bisto Proyekto. MJ Catequista/Rappler
Tech-driven ‘ghost’ hunts
At the core of the initiative is bisto.ph, a digital platform developed by the “Angry Nerds,” the team behind BetterGov.ph. The website serves as a digital platform where citizens can access records of 250,000 infrastructure projects nationwide.
It also allows volunteers to conduct systematic inspections by documenting anomalies in projects, supported by photo evidence.
Beyond ground-level inspections, the anti-corruption coalition is also looking at the skies, through satellite monitoring.
“When the flood control corruption happened, apparently, it was feasible to just check on a satellite whether the flood control projects,” Ken Abante of the People’s Budget Coalition said during the panel discussion. He added that they worked with independent scientists to build a satellite monitoring system.
Through satellite monitoring, inspectors can measure from space whether a one-kilometer road is actually only 900 meters, or if a flood mitigation structure exists at its reported coordinates.
“We actually know where [the likely ghost projects] are. All of them,” Abante said. “We are building a satellite monitoring system so the quality assurance of DPWH becomes really strong, and it can be done by independent scientists.”
Citizens for accountability
Former DPWH secretary Rogelio “Babes” Singson provided citizen inspectors with a simplified audit framework known as the “5 Rs.”
He urged everyone, particularly the youth participants in the launch and nationwide inspection, to verify every project against five standards: right project, right cost, right quality, right on time, and right people.
“What has been stolen in the last 10 years is what you have inherited,” Singson told the youth in the audience, emphasizing the need for people’s participation.
“You cannot not know,” he added.
More than 50 monitoring sites across the country, largely led by local civil society groups and church formations, served as hubs for citizen inspectors during the launch.
Volunteers from Abra, Naga, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, and other localities joined via Zoom to provide real-time updates from listed infrastructure projects through the Bisto Proyekto platform. – Rappler.com