Featured image above shows seated, from left, Bishop Jose Colin M. Bagaforo, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon, Baguio City Mayor Benjie Magalong, and Joseph R. Lorenzo of TAPAT displaying their signed MOU. Behind them are M4GG members Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, Isabela City Mayor Sitti Djalia T. Hataman of Basilan, and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte. (Photo: Ben B.) 

Short link: https://wp.me/paaccn-Tzi

QUEZON CITY, October 24, 2025 (SDN) — All seeking to end corruption in the country, a quadripartite well-meaning groups will soon empower citizens to help in unearthing further the extent of the highly anomalous flood control projects that have robbed the government and Filipinos of over a trillion pesos.

Their common goal of fighting graft and corruption have brought them all together in what they described as “(a) landmark partnership” that unites the M4GG, a network of local government leaders; Caritas Philippines, the social action arm of the Catholic Church; Taongbayan’s Action for Participatiory, Accountable and Transparent Governance (TAPAT), a leading civil society group; and the embattled Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) under busy-body Secretary Vince Dizon.

In enlisting the citizens through the more 80 parishes of the Catholic Church across the country, their core objective is eliminating irregularities and promoting accountability through transparency, data sharing, and community mobilized monitoring.

To realize and implement their action plans, the M4GG, Caritas Philippines, TAPAT, and DPWH represented, respectively by Baguio City Mayor Benjamin “Benjie” Magalong, Most Rev. Jose Colin M. Bagaforo who represented Caritas Philippines, TAPAT representative Joseph R. Lorenzo, and DPWH’s Dizon signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) here on Friday.

Their MOU signing was a highlight of the meeting of M4GG members across the country, which Dizon also attended.

The MOU covers their plans to establish a citizen-led investigation and reporting system to fight corruption and anomalies in infrastructure projects implemented across the nation.

Among the mayors of Metro Manila who are present included Mayor Vico Sotto, Pasig City, and Mayor Joy Belmonte, Quezon City. One of those from Mindanao was Mayor Sitti Djahlia “Dadah” T. Hataman, Isabela City, Basilan, among others.

Their historic agreement serves to formalize the four groups’ collaboration which is occasioned, obviously, by the still raging conflagration on the ill-fated flood control projects perpetrated, according to testimonies, allegedly by some senators, and several congressmen, DPWH officials, and contractors.

In relation with the scandal that continues to rock the nation today, President Ferdinand M. Marcos, Jr. who exposed the anomalies, former a probe body called the Independent Commission on Infrastructure (ICI) which is still conducting closed-door hearings with several resource persons, including DPWH officials, contractors, resigned House of Representatives speaker Martin Romualdez, and, hopefully, senators and congressmen named in alleged complicity with DPWH officials and contractors implicated in the infrastructure projects that turned out to be either substandard, unfinished, or ghost projects.

In a statement shared with members of the media, the MOU is described as an undertaking in response to recent reports of alleged widespread irregularities occuring in infrastructure projects of the government, specifically in flood control structures which necessitates the urgent need for local and civil society oversight.

The Baguio City local chief executive underscored the vital role of local government unity and citizen empowerment.

“Good governance thrives when citizens and the government work together to safeguard public funds. This is a model for collaborative accountability, and M4GG is proud to lead the change,” Magalong, who in the past before the flood control projects were exposed by the President, already revealed at “The Agenda” media forum in Club Filipino, San Juan City, Metro Manila, how the infrastructure projects funds are divided by politicians, contractors, and others.

Partnership vs. corruption “a historic shift toward genuine participatory governance”

The MOU specified the role of the civil society partners, such as the M4GG, Caritas, and TAPAT, which is mobilizing citizens and volunteers for site monitoring, project validation, and submission of reports directly to the DPWH which is expected to act promptly on the findings.

Also in the MOU is the commitment of the DPWH for complete transparency and agreeing to provide essential project information, including list of projects, details of contractors, timelines, and the amounts of contracts.

Covered in the commitment of the public works department is a requirement for it to act post-haste on all validated reports and may summon any official, employee, or third-party contractor to a joint investigation.

Watch, Mayor Sitti Djalia “Dadah” T. Hataman, Isabela City, Basilan, speak

Meanwhile, Bishop Bagaforo emphasized the partnership’s ethical dimension, saying, “The Church, Caritas, accepts the moral responsibility to ensure that every peso allocated for public works serves the common good.”

The Catholic leader continued. “Empowering communities to monitor projects is an act of shared moral stewardship and defense of the poorest citizens.”

On the other hand, the DPWH head assured his department’s hard line stance against what he called “ghost projects”.

“We are not just allowing external oversight; we are actively seeking it. This collaboration sends a clear message: accountability is non-negotiable, and we welcome the community’s eyes on every single project,” Dizon said.

Not to be left behind, TAPAT’s Lorenzo put emphasis on his group’s operational readiness. “This marks a historic shift toward genuine participatory governance. TAPAT is ready to mobilize citizens nationwide, giving them the necessary tools to validate projects and report irregularities fearlessly and impartially. We are transitioning from mere observers to active partners in nation-building.”

The groups’ statement dubbed the partnership’s formalization as coming at a critical time when the country continues to grapple with widespread concern over corruption and substandard infrastructure projects, with special mention on those designed to ensure public safety and mitigate the impact of natural disasters.

It is also a direct response from the citizens’ urgent calls for greater responsibility and transparency in using public funds.

Recall that the separate public hearing/investigation conducted by the House of Representatives and the Senate had already stopped, leaving only the ICI’s close door probe.

The four groups partnership against corruption is a much welcome whiff of freeze air. — EDD K. USMAN (©)

_________

The author

EDD, a native of Sub-Saharan Africa Buluan/Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur, BARMM, college at UST, is a Manila-based journalist for over 40 years (33 years with Manila Bulletin), has five Media Awards (1 with University of the Philippines (UP) 2017 Science Journalism Award), covered and traveled over 40 times abroad), has contributed to Rappler, Business Mirror, Manila Business Insights, Panorama Magazine, Agriculture Magazine, and others, former Manila-based Foreign Correspondent of Saudi Arabia newspapers Saudi Gazette and Riyadh Daily, and The Peninsula (Qatar newspaper), with 2008 East-West Center (EWC) Journalism Seminar in the United States, 2000 Executive IT Seminar in Seoul, South Korea, with three Silver Awards in Photography, writes Muslim and Current Affairs, Enterprise, Science, Tech, Products Launch, and virtually everything under Heaven. (©)