Benise Balaoing

Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) special adviser and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, together with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon, conduct an on-site inspection of major infrastructure projects in Pampanga on Tuesday, September 23, 2025. The officials checked the progress of the San Agustin Bridge in Camba and the Candating flood-control project in Arayat, both designed to improve mobility and strengthen the province’s disaster resilience against flooding.


Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) special adviser and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, together with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon, conduct an on-site inspection of major infrastructure projects in Pampanga on Tuesday, September 23, 2025. The officials checked the progress of the San Agustin Bridge in Camba and the Candating flood-control project in Arayat, both designed to improve mobility and strengthen the province’s disaster resilience against flooding.

Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

FLOOD CONTROL PROBE

Agatha Gregorio

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/176467327241320250923-flood-cointrol-pampanga-ici-MT12 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) special adviser and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, together with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon, conduct an on-site inspection of major infrastructure projects in Pampanga on Tuesday, September 23, 2025. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) special adviser and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, together with Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon, conduct an on-site inspection of major infrastructure projects in Pampanga on Tuesday, September 23, 2025. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATE</strong>) – To put an end to &quot;ghost&quot; projects, the Commission on Audit (COA) is fast-tracking a policy to make GPS-based geotagging for government infrastructure projects mandatory.</p><p>Under the proposed measure, projects cannot be tagged as completed, and ideally, payments will not be given unless COA&#x27;s teams have already verified the required geotagged photos.</p><p>Agencies and contractors will be required to submit geotagged photos with exact GPS coordinates for projects, as well as the time and date when the pictures were taken.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/13/coa-chair-bulacan-is-epicenter-of-flood-control-scandal-1752">COA chair: Bulacan is &#x27;epicenter&#x27; of flood control scandal</a></div><p>&quot;Let this be clear: the proper use of taxpayer funds is non-negotiable, and we will hold projects accountable to deliver measurable benefits for every Filipino community,&quot; COA Chairperson Gamaliel Cordoba said in a statement.</p><p>The proposed policy, called &quot;Mandatory Geotagging for All Infrastructure Projects of National Government Agencies, Local Government Units, and Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations,&quot; also aims to stop falsified billings and ensure &quot;verifiable use of public funds.&quot;</p><p>The photographic evidence is expected at every stage of project completion and the warranty period afterwards.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/technology/2025/9/12/satellite-drone-system-can-be-used-to-monitor-flood-control-projects-dost-1748">Satellite &amp; drone system can be used to monitor flood control projects: DOST</a></div><p>Now under the review process, the proposed policy&#x27;s revised version was given to major implementing agencies last November 7, with a request for comments on or before November 25.</p><p>COA also expects inter-agency coordination on the use of satellite imagery data through the Philippine Space Agency, led by the Department of Economy, Planning and Development to complement geotagging requirements.</p><p>Conspiring with public officers in submitting fraudulent geotagged photos will be &quot;subject to appropriate legal actions and imposition of contractual penalties, including disqualification and blacklisting,&quot; according to a circular on the proposed policy.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>SENATOR: TOUGHER SAFEGUARDS FOR ‘LEGITIMATE BUILDERS&#x27; SOUGHT</strong></div><p>In a statement, Senate Deputy Majority Leader JV Ejercito said more protection is needed to ensure that legitimate construction companies in infrastructure programs would &quot;proceed without disruption.&quot;</p><p>According to Ejercito, there should be clear station numbers or coordinates for each DPWH project. </p><p>He said precise project mapping also enhances identification and lowers opportunities for manipulation, just as it strengthens monitoring on the ground.</p><p>&quot;Malaking tulong ito para makampante hindi lang ang publiko, kundi pati ang mga legitimate construction firm na sumali muli sa public bidding,&quot; said the senator.</p><p>For Ejercito, projects move &quot;if contractors are confident.&quot;</p><p>&quot;When high-impact projects move, so do jobs and our economy,&quot; he said. </p><p>A continuous construction activity, he added, is very important to sustain the multiplier effect in the sector and boost employment and local growth. </p><p>&quot;Bottomline, we need legitimate contractors to stay in the system, and we need high-impact infrastructure to continue. Ito ang magbibigay ng trabaho at magpapaandar sa ating ekonomiya,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>To put an end to “ghost” projects, the Commission on Audit (COA) is fast-tracking a policy to make GPS-based geotagging for government infrastructure projects mandatory.</p>

To put an end to “ghost” projects, the Commission on Audit (COA) is fast-tracking a policy to make GPS-based geotagging for government infrastructure projects mandatory.

COA fast-tracking policy for mandatory GPS-based geotagging for infra projects

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COA fast-tracking policy for mandatory GPS-based geotagging for infra projects

Agatha Gregorio,

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 02, 2025 01:05 PM PHT

|

Updated December 02, 2025 07:02 PM PHT

Read More:

COA

Commission on Audit

flood control

GPS

Geotagging

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