From drones to digital apps, the Philippine government is turning technology into a powerful anti-corruption tool under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Bagong Pilipinas governance agenda, enabling citizens to monitor public projects in real time and access essential services without bureaucratic delays.
Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin said that through flagship initiatives like the eGov PH Super App and Project DIME, President Marcos’ administration is advancing its commitment to transparency, accountability, and inclusive digital governance.
These reforms have helped elevate the Philippines to sixth place in the Asia Pacific Digital Nations Index and the top rank among Southeast Asian nations.
“For citizens, this means greater assurance that public funds aren’t being diverted through shadow companies or manipulated bidding. For honest businesses, it creates a more level playing field where merit rather than connections determines who wins government contracts,” Bersamin said in a newspaper column published in the Philippine STAR on Sunday.
Under Project DIME (Data for Implementing, Monitoring and Evaluation), the Executive Secretary said citizens would be able to monitor government projects in real time using satellite imagery, drones, and geospatial data.
“This transparency ensures that infrastructure projects genuinely meet community needs – roads are built to proper specifications, school buildings follow safety standards, and irrigation systems properly serve agricultural areas,” Bersamin said.
“Our digital initiatives address multiple dimensions of UNCAC – promoting transparency through open contracting (Article 9), ensuring responsive public services (Article 10), strengthening integrity in public administration (Article 7) and supporting citizen participation (Article 13),” he added.
The Executive Secretary said the measure democratizes access to government services regardless of location or socioeconomic status, ensuring that remote and vulnerable communities receive equal benefits from public services.
At the 5th State Conference on UNCAC Implementation and Review held in Malacañang last December 2024, President Marcos outlined his administration’s “two-pronged approach” in the fight against corruption: streamlining and digitalizing government processes to eliminate avenues for corruption, while empowering citizens through full public disclosure.
The Executive Secretary said the administration’s strategy recognizes a fundamental truth: corruption thrives in opacity, while transparency fosters integrity. | PND
