The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has partnered with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), select local government officials, and civil society to monitor government infrastructure projects and help curb corruption nationwide.
The joint undertaking for transparency and accountability was contained in a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) signed by officials of the CBCP’s social arm, Caritas Philippines, the DPWH, the Mayors for Good Governance, and several civil society organizations.
The partnership empowers the clergy and church community groups to check reports of ghost or substandard projects and monitor the progress of DPWH projects within the borders of their parishes.
Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo, president of the national Caritas, said the Church will mobilize dioceses through their social action centers to help track government projects in local communities.
“Through these ministries, we will assist in monitoring ongoing projects, especially those that may be ghost or substandard,” Bagaforo said.
He said Caritas will report findings to the joint monitoring group and organize parish volunteers to visit sites and observe how DPWH projects are carried out.
“We are ready to offer our manpower. Our parishes and local churches will rally volunteers to go around and check the DPWH projects,” Bagaforo said.
The bishop added that the Church’s role is not only to expose wrongdoing but also to offer moral guidance to officials and project implementers.
For his part, Public Works Sec. Vince Dizon, who signed the document on behalf of his agency, said every sector of society plays an important role in monitoring each DPWH project.
“When I spoke to the President, the President did not tell me to defend DPWH and what’s been going on there. The President told me to reform DPWH,” he said.
“And this is what we are doing now with various groups, such as our mayors, our CBCP, and other civil society organizations,” Dizon added.
Other signatories of the MOC include Bishop Colin Bagaforo, president of Caritas Philippines, Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong of M4GG, and Victorio Joseph Lorenzo of TAPAT.
The DPWH chief pointed out that cooperation with other government agencies and the private sector will be expanded in line with President Marcos’ directive to clean up and promote comprehensive reforms at the DPWH.
“The most important reform that our President will leave behind is transparency. It all starts with transparency,” Dizon stressed.
