Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong on Friday said his group, Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG), will be launching a technology-driven grassroots monitoring system for government infrastructure projects to assist the probe by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).
Magalong, who recently resigned from the ICI, told The STAR’s ‘Truth on the Line’ that the system is meant to bolster transparency and accountability.
The mayor said M4GG has come up with a ‘grassroots reporting accountability mechanism’ to aid the ICI probe, which will use digital mapping tools to identify exact locations of government infrastructure projects.
Magalong claims citizens will be able to report progress, problems or anomalies directly through the platform, and is optimistic the innovation will empower communities and provide real-time, independent monitoring of government projects across the country.
Even after his resignation, Magalong said he maintains his support for the ICI and he has full confidence in his replacement, retired Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin.
He said, ‘Let’s put our trust in Gen. Azurin. He is capable,’ and insisted he has no regrets in quitting the ICI. ‘The ICI commissioners are very professional. I saw their conviction.’