While drawing up the procedures for public access to government officials’ asset statements, the Office of the Ombudsman is planning to revive the deputization of resident ombudsmen in agencies deemed to be graft-prone.
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said an earlier agreement allowed the office to deputize state prosecutors under the Department of Justice, which he used to head, as well as state auditors to serve as anti-corruption watchdogs in selected agencies. But the agreement has not been implemented.
Meanwhile, the regional office in Bacolod of the National Bureau of Investigation is opening online channels where people can send messages detailing complaints or providing tips about government anomalies starting with flood control projects.
Members of the Mayors for Good Governance, who are moving to institutionalize reforms to prevent corruption in local governments, are also preparing to launch a website featuring infrastructure projects, which will include among other things the identity of the contractor, the project specs, costs and implementation dates. This will allow the projects to be subjected to public monitoring for possible anomalies.
These initiatives complement the sumbongsapangulo.ph, a portal launched by Malacañang to jumpstart the anti-corruption crackdown in flood control projects. As of last week, the portal had received over 19,000 reports of possible anomalies in flood control projects all over the country.
Action on the complaints is critical to sustain the momentum of public vigilance. Similar digital portals have been launched in the past years, only to fade into obscurity as people saw no response to their grievances.
In the case of sumbongsapangulo.ph, Sen. Panfilo Lacson, members of the House infra comm, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, among others, said they found many useful tips in the portal in tracking down anomalous projects.
Acting on thousands of tips and complaints will require more manpower. The Commission on Audit, whose officials defended yesterday their budget proposal for 2026, cited the lack of auditors assigned to local engineering offices. While acknowledging accusations that auditors including COA Commissioner Mario Lipana were themselves possibly complicit in corruption, the COA officials at the budget hearing said the lack of personnel contributed to the agency’s failure to detect the massive flood control anomalies in Bulacan involving public works engineers.
While waiting for additional personnel, the different agencies can pool their resources to provide channels for reporting possible anomalies in government. Seeing complaints acted upon will ensure that citizen vigilance won’t be a flash in the pan and will continue beyond the flood control scandal.