Fighting corruption with technology

The recent State of the Nation Address by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. resonated deeply with many Filipinos due to his candid acknowledgment of corruption plaguing government projects, particularly those related to flood control. It definitely stirred up a hornet’s nest of angry reactions from the citizenry. The brazen and creative ways in which all those involved enriched themselves with the people’s money were unbelievable.

- TECH4GOOD FORMER DICT UNDERSECRETARY MON B. IBRAHIM

With the Philippines frequently battered by typhoons and monsoon rains, flood mitigation is not just a matter of convenience—it’s a matter of survival. In his SONA, the President revealed that billions of pesos allocated for these lifeline projects have been siphoned off through ghost contracts, padded expenses, substandard work and materials, and systemic racketeering involving agency executives, contractors, and politicians.

The President cited thousands of flood control projects worth billions of pesos that are deemed anomalous.

Some lacked basic documentation or were found to be “ghost projects” — nonexistent despite being fully funded and paid. Some project specifications were duplicated across regions with identical contract costs, raising red flags about potential collusion and fraud. Alongside this revelation came a clear “Shame on you” message and a strong warning: those involved will be held accountable.

The exposé of irregularities and collusion in flood control initiatives served as a stark reminder of the persistent challenges the nation faces in ensuring the integrity of public service. I am one of those fortunate individuals who have experienced both sides of government procurement: as a vendor and a buyer. I used to complain that selling to the government was so complicated and tedious with all the documentary requirements and archaic processes. When I got on the other side of the fence, I realized that those requirements are in place because of the need to make everything transparent, as you are dealing with people’s money.