President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said it in his pronouncements against corruption. Church leaders have said the same. Civic groups have echoed it. They all insist there is a need for citizen involvement in fighting corruption, particularly in flood control projects.
One mechanism meant to turn that call into action was launched yesterday, Feb. 21, 2026. It seeks to make real the vision of ordinary people monitoring government projects, identifying failures, and reporting them to proper authorities.
The “Bisto Proyekto” (“Project Exposed”) was launched yesterday with a program that included the signing of a memorandum of agreement, live citizen inspection reports from volunteers via Zoom, and a panel discussion that brought together civil society leaders and officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The symbolism is deliberate. Forty years after the Edsa revolution, this is “people power,” not on the streets but on project sites.
The project’s full title is “Bisto Proyekto: Ang bagong people power,” with the tagline “Sama-samang inspeksyon ng flood control projects”. (“Project Exposed: The new people power,” with the tagline “Inspecting together flood control projects”.) Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla, DPWH Undersecretary Nicasio Conti, and Cardinal Pablo Virgilio “Ambo” David were among those expected at the launch.
The “Bisto Proyekto” website is at https://bisto.ph/. The project is described as people-led flood control monitoring and inspection, believing that with people in affected communities monitoring projects themselves, implementers would think twice about stealing the people’s money.
“Bisto Proyekto” is an initiative of the Taongbayan Action for Participatory and Transparent Governance (Tapat) in support of the Memorandum of Cooperation among the DPWH, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, Mayors for Good Governance, and Tapat.
The platform contains a list of projects per region, including budget allocations, project descriptions, and reported status. In Region 7 or Central Visayas alone, it lists 13,883 projects.
The initiative is laudable, but it relies on several factors for its success. Foremost is the participation of citizens in monitoring projects, reporting, and even in instigating punitive action. Public interest would also have to be sustained, as fighting corruption requires long-term vigilance, not a one-off surge of enthusiasm.
The idea itself is strong. Infrastructure projects are highly visible. A dike either exists or it does not. A drainage canal is either silted or maintained. A bridge is either completed or abandoned midpoint. These are physical realities that citizens can check. But once reports are submitted, will the responsible agencies respond and act? Will findings lead to action? Will complaints be elevated to bodies such as the Commission on Audit or the Ombudsman?
Also, how do you protect the citizen monitors from harassment? How to ensure the project will not be weaponized or used for political purposes?
Regardless of how “Bisto Proyekto” proceeds, we should support it. The true measure of its success will lie in the number of flood control projects completed, roads repaired, and contractors changing their evil ways.