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Agencies at the center of flood control issue face low public trust – PAHAYAG

by Contributor
written by Contributor

MANILA, Philippines – Public trust in key government institutions linked to the flood control project (FCP) controversy remains markedly low, reflecting sustained public concern over transparency, accountability, and overall government credibility.

Legislative institutions continue to face weak public sentiment. The Senate recorded 25% approval and 14% trust, while the House of Representatives posted 23% approval and 13% trust. Distrust toward both bodies remains high, with around one in two voters expressing skepticism—indicating deeply entrenched public doubt.

Among implementing and oversight agencies, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) registered the lowest ratings, with 20% approval and 13% trust. Although distrust slightly declined from the previous quarter, it remains elevated at 60%, signaling continued public concern over infrastructure management and project execution.

Fiscal agencies also show subdued confidence. The Department of Finance (DOF) recorded 28% approval and 19% trust, while the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) posted 25% approval and 17% trust. In both cases, about four in ten voters expressed distrust, highlighting concerns over budget allocation and financial stewardship.

Accountability institutions similarly received modest ratings. The Commission on Audit (COA) posted 34% approval and 25% trust, with 30% distrust. The Department of Justice (DOJ) recorded 33% approval and 24% trust, alongside 39% distrust. The Office of the Ombudsman registered 28% approval and 19% trust, with comparable levels of distrust (38%), raising questions about the perceived effectiveness of anti-corruption and enforcement mechanisms.

Also, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) registered 30% approval and 21% trust, while 44% of voters expressed distrust.

Overall, the results point to a broad pattern of low trust across institutions involved in legislation, budgeting, implementation, and oversight—underscoring the need for stronger transparency measures and credible accountability efforts to restore public confidence.

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News

SP Oks Trust Fund for Davao Bus Project

by Nova Mae Francas
written by Nova Mae Francas

THE 21ST City Council approved on Tuesday, Dec. 2, the measure creating a Trust Fund, which serves as a counterpart of the local government for the Davao Bus Project.

The ordinance provides for the management of the Trust Fund pending the implementation of the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project (DPTMP).

Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang said the allocation is sourced from the General Fund and will be placed in a new special account, which the city government will open through the Department of Budget and Management. 

The DPTMP is backed by a P54.89 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank, which is eyed to replace the city’s jeepney network.

Once operationalized, a 672-kilometer integrated bus network will be created with a fleet of 380 electric and 720 Euro-V diesel buses.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has allocated approximately P2 billion for the Davao Bus Project in 2026, significantly lower than the P14-P17 billion. 

Atty. Tristan Dwight Domingo, assistant city administrator and Davao Bus Project manager, revealed the city’s counterpart amounts to P1.5 billion. 

In an earlier interview, Domingo said the trust fund reflects the city’s commitment to the project.

Domingo stressed that the allocation will ensure that the city is prepared once the project is implemented and will avoid financing problems. 

“This is a multi-year undertaking for the city. Our proposed strategy is to allocate specific amounts each year into the trust fund, based on the project’s evolving financial needs,” he said.

The city is confident of reaching the target as it will be sourced from local revenues, considering the city is now generating over P4 billion annually. 

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Business

MinDA chair, DBM Sec to speak at 2025 ASEAN Inclusive Growth Summit

by Contributor
written by Contributor

TWO SENIOR Philippine officials — Leo Tereso Magno, chair of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), and Amenah “Mina” Pangandaman, Secretary of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) — will speak at the upcoming 2025 ASEAN Inclusive Growth Summit on Oct. 24, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur.

Magno is slated to participate in the afternoon plenary titled “A moment to lead: ASEAN 2026 and the Philippines,” where he will join Pangandaman and Frederic DyBuncio — CEO of SM Investments Corporation — to spotlight the Philippines’ role as incoming Chair of ASEAN in 2026.

Pangandaman also appears earlier in the event’s speaker list, underscoring the government’s interest in framing budget and development policy within the broader regional inclusive-growth agenda.

They will join an international line-up of luminaries including human-rights lawyer Amal Clooney, Temasek CEO Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara, and Jon Huntsman Jr. of Mastercard, among others. Magno assumed the role of MinDA Chair in May 2024, bringing to the position extensive experience in public service and institutional leadership.

Under his leadership, MinDA has focused on inclusive growth and economic development for Mindanao, the Philippines’ southern island region. His speaking role at the ASEAN-wide summit underscores the Philippines’ intent to position Mindanao not only as a domestic development priority but as a strategic partner in Southeast Asia’s inclusive growth agenda.

The 2025 ASEAN Inclusive Growth Summit brings together “purpose-driven leaders on inclusive growth” and highlights themes like sustainable/resilient growth, public-private partnerships, digital transformation, and SME innovation.

For Magno and MinDA, this is an opportunity to showcase Mindanao’s potential within those frameworks — from infrastructure-led growth to integrated water-energy-food strategies.

For example, MinDA recently reaffirmed partnerships with UN agencies to deliver clean water, energy access, and resilience programs in Mindanao.

Alongside Magno, several prominent global figures will speak, lending heft to the summit’s ambition:

  • Amal Clooney — human rights lawyer and co-founder of the Clooney Foundation for Justice.
  • Dilhan Pillay Sandrasegara — Executive Director & CEO of Temasek (Singapore).
  • Jon Huntsman Jr. — Vice Chairman and President of Strategic Growth at Mastercard.
  • Their presence signals a strong push toward embedding inclusive growth in cross-sector collaboration and governance frameworks across ASEAN. By joining this summit, Magno elevates Mindanao’s development narrative onto an ASEAN-regional platform, enabling exposure to regional best practices, investment flows, and multi-stakeholder ecosystem building.

The summit also offers a venue to link local Philippine priorities — such as infrastructure, clean-energy, and SME-driven growth — with broader ASEAN integration and inclusive development frameworks. Magno’s speaking engagement may open doors for further international cooperation, potential funding or investment channels, and deeper integration of Mindanao’s development plans into regional strategies.

For stakeholders across the Philippines and ASEAN, this signals momentum toward aligning local growth agendas with a broader inclusive growth vision.

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Business

DPWH, WB, and LGUs unite to boost Mindanao Connectivity 

by Rhoda Grace Saron
written by Rhoda Grace Saron

THE DEPARTMENT of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) convened the first project steering committee meeting for the ₱37-billion Mindanao Transport Connectivity Improvement Project (MTCIP) on Oct. 10, 2025, in Cagayan de Oro City. 

According to the DPWH, the project aims to improve connectivity, safety, and access in rural and agricultural areas across Northern Mindanao, the Davao Region, and Central Mindanao.

In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive for multi-sector participation and coordination with local government units (LGUs), DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon issued Special Order No. 167, formally creating the MTCIP PSC.

 The committee is tasked with overseeing strategic implementation, inter-agency coordination, and periodic review of project milestones.

According to DPWH Senior Undersecretary and PSC chairperson Emil K. Sadain, the steering committee includes representatives from national agencies—such as the Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Mindanao Development Authority—as well as local chief executives from Cagayan de Oro, Bukidnon, Davao City, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Sarangani, and General Santos City. 

Senior transport specialist and co-task team leader John Kobina Richardson represented the World Bank.

MTCIP’s progress has been strengthened by early endorsements from provincial and city development councils in 2023 and 2024, and from regional development councils in 2024—ensuring alignment with local priorities and enabling smoother implementation and long-term sustainability.

“The MTCIP is not just a DPWH or World Bank project—it is a Mindanaoan project. The overwhelming support from LGUs ensures the project will be felt where it matters most: in communities,” said Sadain.

Co-financed by the World Bank (₱25.46 billion) and the Philippine government (₱11.54 billion), the MTCIP will enhance transport connectivity across Mindanao by upgrading the 422-kilometer Cagayan de Oro–Davao–General Santos corridor and rehabilitating three (3) key agricultural link roads totaling 128 kilometers: Sayre Highway (Patulungan)–Cawayan–Kibenton Road (25.03 km), Fatima–Malabog–Saloy–Panabo City Road (59.40 km), and Poblacion–Malungon–Sta. Maria Road (44.03 km). 

Construction is set to begin in 2027 following a 22-month design phase starting in January 2026. A five-year maintenance program will follow project completion.

MTCIP has included among its many components the Integrity Management Plan for the project, which ensures strengthening road sector management through capacity building, climate resilience, and digital mapping in Mindanao. 

It also aids project implementation via technical assistance, stakeholder engagement, and audits, with a contingency component for emergency response.

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Business

𝗗𝗕𝗠 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀

by Contributor
written by Contributor

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has officially adopted blockchain technology in the government budgeting process. This milestone marks a bold step toward redefining transparency, efficiency, and accountability in public financial management.

“Blockchain is more than a buzzword—it’s a governance tool. By leveraging this technology, we can ensure that every peso is accounted for, every transaction is transparent, and every citizen can trust how public funds are managed,” said DBM Undersecretary Goddes Hope “Sasa” Libiran.

For decades, public financial systems have struggled with inefficiencies, audit challenges, and persistent concerns over corruption. While not the silver bullet, blockchain offers a game-changing response by making transactions visible and verifiable in near real time, protecting data integrity through cryptographic consensus, and streamlining workflows for faster reconciliation with fewer bureaucratic layers.

Blockchain has gained traction in the private sector, from cryptocurrencies to supply chain tracking, but the DBM’s adoption signals one of the first large-scale government implementations in Asia. This places the Philippines at the forefront of technological governance innovation and may inspire neighboring countries to follow suit.

This quarter, the DBM launched a production portal that records Special Allotment Release Orders (SAROs) and Notices of Cash Allocation (NCAs) as verifiable, on-chain entries. In partnership with BayaniChain and ExakIT Services, the site <blockchain.dbm.gov.ph> is widely regarded as the country’s first blockchain-backed budget transparency platform, making records tamper-proof while allowing the public to inspect how funds are authorized and released.

“Our mission is to equip government and businesses with the tools to keep their systems secure and reliable. By using blockchain technology combined with the capabilities of advanced AI, we not only help the DBM strengthen transparency and the security of public finance, but also show how technologies can help institutions safeguard critical processes and deliver lasting value to their stakeholders,” said BayaniChain CEO Paul Soliman.

The workflow starts with DBM’s Action Document Releasing System (ADRS), which issues the official budget papers. These are then secured using BayaniChain’s Lumen Blockchain-as-a-Service platform, co-developed with ExakIT.

To keep things open while protecting sensitive data, the Prismo Protocol governs what details are made public and what stays private. After approval, SAROs and NCAs are immutably written to the Polygon blockchain as NFTs, preventing any alteration or tampering—an effective defense against deepfakes and document fraud.

Documents from 2024 onward can be retrieved either by scanning the QR code on a valid SARO or NCA, or by searching manually using fields like document type, department, agency, and operating unit.

Beyond SARO and NCA

The DBM envisions a broader digital ecosystem in which the full budget lifecycle—planning, allocation, disbursement, and audit—is traceable on-chain, complemented by AI-assisted analytics to detect anomalies, forecast needs, and inform smarter fiscal policy, as well as citizen-facing dashboards that turn complex budget data into clear, understandable insights.

“We’re not just digitizing SAROs and NCAs, we’re building a next-generation public finance system that combines blockchain transparency with Artificial Intelligence to allocate resources more effectively and uphold accountability at every level,” said Libiran.

The DBM plans to extend blockchain-powered platforms across budgeting, procurement, and monitoring, with pilot programs already underway. The ultimate vision is a trustless (decentralized), transparent, citizen-first financial ecosystem that strengthens democratic governance through technology.

With this significant step, the Philippines demonstrates that the government can evolve with the times and lead, positioning the country as a regional model for digital trust and innovation aligned with global best practices.

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