Civil society groups, church leaders, and government officials launched 'Bisto Proyekto: Ang Bagong People Power' on February 21 in Manila, turning citizen vigilance into a tool for accountability in infrastructure projects. Led by the anti-corruption group TAPAT, it includes a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Public Works and Highways for nationwide monitoring. The initiative aims to combat corruption through a digital platform and satellite monitoring.
On Saturday, February 21, at the Adamson University Theater in Manila, 'Bisto Proyekto: Ang Bagong People Power' was launched as a shift in commemorating the 40th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution. Led by the Taongbayan Action for Participatory, Accountable and Transparent Governance (TAPAT), the initiative enables citizens to monitor infrastructure projects nationwide to prevent ghost and substandard works.
TAPAT lead Dondon Parafina stated, 'Is a rally enough? People are angry and they are asking for responsibility, but perhaps there is an additional way for more meaningful participation in the process of change.' He added, 'We don’t need to be an engineer or an advocate to do this. If the people will be watching over every island and corner of the Philippines, there will be no more ghost and substandard projects.'
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) joined by signing a memorandum of agreement, providing safe access to sites and documents. DPWH Undersecretary Nick Conti said, 'You are our allies. Reminder, do not be afraid. Because the person who knows that what he is doing is right has nothing to hide.' He noted that corruption in infrastructure is high-reward and low-risk due to the volume of projects—over 20,000 annually—that the government cannot fully inspect.
At the core is bisto.ph, a digital platform developed by the 'Angry Nerds' from BetterGov.ph, offering access to records of 250,000 projects. Volunteers can upload evidence of anomalies. It is also supported by satellite monitoring, as Ken Abante of the People’s Budget Coalition explained: 'When the flood control corruption happened, apparently, it was feasible to just check on a satellite whether the flood control projects.'
Former DPWH Secretary Rogelio 'Babes' Singson provided the '5 Rs' framework: right project, right cost, right quality, right on time, and right people. More than 50 monitoring sites across locations including Abra, Naga, Iloilo, and Cagayan de Oro participated in the launch via Zoom for real-time updates.